MM Online - Xavier: Hot weather till May, water shortage expected in six states (extracts)
Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge (The Rime of the Ancient Mariner)
KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 — Malaysia is expected to experience the extreme hot weather and dry season until May, said Water, Land and Natural Resource Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar.
He added that six states — Negri Sembilan, Johor, Perak, Kedah, Pahang and Kelantan — were expected to face water shortage with the weather turning hot and dry because of the lack of rainfall.
In a statement today, the minister said that there were so many locations that did not receive rainfall for over 30 days, namely Hulu Perak for 56 days and Setiu, Terengganu for 31 days.
Dr Xavier said that other critical areas which had received only less than 25 per cent of the average annual rainfall included Rembau and Tampin in Negri Sembilan and Rompin in Pahang.
Also, Padang Terap in Kedah, Cameron Highlands and Kuantan in Pahang and Dungun, Hulu Terengganu, Kemaman and Kuala Terengganu were now under the “dangerous” category as these places had also not received enough rainfall.
He added that six states — Negri Sembilan, Johor, Perak, Kedah, Pahang and Kelantan — were expected to face water shortage with the weather turning hot and dry because of the lack of rainfall.
In a statement today, the minister said that there were so many locations that did not receive rainfall for over 30 days, namely Hulu Perak for 56 days and Setiu, Terengganu for 31 days.
Dr Xavier said that other critical areas which had received only less than 25 per cent of the average annual rainfall included Rembau and Tampin in Negri Sembilan and Rompin in Pahang.
Also, Padang Terap in Kedah, Cameron Highlands and Kuantan in Pahang and Dungun, Hulu Terengganu, Kemaman and Kuala Terengganu were now under the “dangerous” category as these places had also not received enough rainfall.
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the irony of Dungun, Hulu Terengganu then flooded, now under 'dangerous' category of shortage of water |
The current weather would lead to a lack of river and dam water resources in the country.
Dr Xavier said there were three dams which now had a storage capacity of only around 50 per cent.
Dr Xavier said there were three dams which now had a storage capacity of only around 50 per cent.
Malaysia does not lie within the Sahara belt, nor does it exist in the Middle-East with Saudi Arabia although in religio-cultural cringe some people may be wishing it does.
Malaysia is a tropical country which is rich and lush with green tropical jungle, fertile jungles with bountiful rivers and streams.
Why is there such a ridiculous shortage of water for its people?
Mahathir's bête noire (pet hate) Singapore, is fed plentifully with water from Malaysia. The Island State even built and manages a humongous reservoir, Linggui, in Johor, Malaysia to ensure its supply of one of life's vital elements, is never threatened with shortage.
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Linggui reservoir in Johore |
Mahathir resents the low price Singapore pays for the Malaysian raw water, which BTW, the Island State re-supplies in treated form (with attendant higher cost) back to Johor Baru.
But Mahathir was also previously PM of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003, when he had at his disposal Malaysia's then-ever abundant oil wealth. You may, nay, must ask what did he do for Johor with regards to water supply and treatment?
Zilch, that was his contribution to mundane uninteresting-to-him water treatment. He was more interested in cornering the world's tin market, dabbling in foreign exchange-whatever and building his pet hobby, cars, but at public expense.
As a dictatorial PM then, he did nothing for Johor's treated water supply, just depending on Singapore to supply that water, and now having the brazen nerve and thick skin to complain about Singapore's poor price for Malaysia's raw water.
God knows where did all those oil and other wealth go to during his previous PM reign?
Look at Johor in a more macro view, and you have today's water shortage in Malaysia.
If proper contingency plans were developed and implemented effectively, the dry spells today would not be any worry.
It's too little too late, more so when our oil weath is dwindling.
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pandai gaduh dengan Singapore, tetapi NATO saje |