By Ida Nadirah Ibrahim
SHAH ALAM, Feb 18 — In a move to streamline raw water abstraction fees, the Selangor government plans to boost its revenue collection from industrial water operators by RM74 million, to reach RM92 million annually from this year on.
Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj said the state administration is also eyeing estimated revenue of RM121 million this year from the Zero Discharge Policy.
“The state government will implement the Zero Discharge Policy for 2025, as outlined in the Luas (Selangor Water Management Authority) Enactment 1999, as a measure to ensure the security and sustainability of water resources. The potential revenue estimate is RM121 million.
“The state administration also aims to increase revenue collection from industrial water operators by an additional RM74 million to a total of RM92 million annually, which the state will begin receiving this year to standardise raw water abstraction charges,” said the Selangor ruler during the opening of the First Meeting of the Third Term of the 15th Selangor State Legislative Assembly today.
Meanwhile, Sultan Sharafuddin said access to clean water is a fundamental necessity that must be safeguarded for all citizens.
His Royal Highness said that to uphold this right, the management of water services must be conducted with full transparency, accountability, and efficiency, ensuring clean water remains a public priority rather than a profit-driven enterprise.
The Selangor Sultan said the state’s ongoing commitment to ensuring clean water access is made possible for low-income households without putting a financial burden on them.
“The state has approved a five-year extension of the Skim Air Darul Ehsan initiative, which will run from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2029.
“To support the programme, RM40 million has been allocated for 2025 to cover the cost of providing free water to eligible recipients under the scheme,” he said.
[caption id="attachment_390307" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj opens the First Meeting of the Third Term of the 15th Selangor State Legislative Assembly at Wisma DNS, Shah Alam, on February 18, 2025. — Picture by FIKRI YUSOF/MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
On securing raw water sources in the state, His Royal Highness cited the RM12 million funds allocated this year to support infrastructure projects under the Raw Water Security Scheme, which sees a total project value of RM320 million.
“The scheme aims to strengthen water infrastructure and secure long-term water availability for both domestic and industrial use,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Selangor ruler had also urged the state government, under the leadership of Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari, to remain vigilant in addressing disasters such as floods and landslides, with a strong emphasis on proactive measures to mitigate their impact.
He said the state administration is expected to strengthen disaster preparedness efforts, particularly in preventing severe flood tragedies from recurring.
“I wish to see the flood mitigation plan by the federal and state governments, amounting to an estimated RM1.774 billion, expedited.
“We cannot afford to delay flood mitigation efforts, as doing so may lead to significant losses for the people and the state government,” said.
His Royal Highness also highlighted the RM62.3 million allocation from the state government to support various water management initiatives, including flood mitigation projects, drainage system development, river basin improvements, environmental drainage management, and coastal development, with a total of 103 ongoing programmes.
“Serious emphasis must be placed on these projects to ensure water resource management progresses in tandem with global changes,” he added.
