PAAB TO INVEST RM1 BILLION IN NEW PENANG WATER TREATMENT PLANTS

GEORGE TOWN, Dec 17 (Bernama) -- Pengurusan Aset Air Berhad (PAAB), a company wholly owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated, will spend RM1 billion next year to build two water treatment plants (WTP) in Seberang Perai, near here.

PAAB, in a statement, said it is committed to working with Penang to build two new WTP plants in Seberang Perai to increase the area's treated water storage margin in the future.

"The project involves the construction of the Sungai Perai WTP in the Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) district with a capacity of 136 million litres of water per day (MLD). Another project involves the construction of the Sungai Muda WTP in the Seberang Perai Utara (SPU) district with a 114 MLD capacity.

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"When completed, 15 per cent of the treated water storage margin can be maintained in Penang and is able to overcome the high demand of consumers in SPT and SPU areas to support future development needs," the statement said today.

The statement was issued after PAAB chairman Datuk Seri Ir Jaseni Maidinsa, chief executive officer Ir Zulkiflee Omar and chief financial officer Zaleha Abdul Hamid paid a courtesy call on Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow at his office in Komtar today. 

The statement said in the meeting, they had the opportunity to introduce a more detailed description of PAAB's role and responsibilities as a company appointed by the federal government.

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According to PAAB, the plan is to provide easy funding for implementing water infrastructure development projects in Penang and states that have signed the National Water Services Industry Restructuring Plan with PAAB.

"PAAB was established in 2006 through the Water Services Industry Act 2006 and is regulated by the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (PETRA) and the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) to assist the federal government in realising the National Water Services Industry Restructuring Plan.

"It is also a company responsible for developing water assets in Peninsular Malaysia with competitive financing rates," the statement said.

The statement added that, for the record, the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) signed the National Water Services Industry Restructuring Plan in 2011. The water infrastructure project is PAAB's first involvement in Penang.
-- BERNAMA