KENAIKAN CAJ AIR KEDAH HARUS DIBATALKAN, SEKIRANYA PR PRIHATIN RAKYAT KEDAH

Saya merujuk kepada keputusan Syarikat Bekalan Air Darulaman (SADA) untuk menaikkan tariff air di Kedah mulai 1 Oktober, 2010.

Menurut kenyataan oleh wakil SADA pada hari ini:-

1. secara keseluruhan, purata kenaikan caj kepada pengguna domestik adalah sekitar 27 peratus dan nilainya antara RM3.00 hingga RM8.00; dan
2. Ia melibatkan sebanyak 457,707 akaun (sehingga Ogos tahun ini).
[ Sumber: www.wartakedah.net ]

Pada December, 2009 lalu, Pakatan Rakyat telah berjanji di dalam Dasar Bersama mereka (para. H) bahawa:-
(a) penyediaan dan penyenggaraan prasarana awam yang baik merupakan tanggungjawab kerajaan;
(b) perlaksanaannya mestilah tidak membebankan rakyat; dan
(c) menjamin bekalan air bersih dengan harga yang berpatutan kepada setiap keluarga di Malaysia.

Pemuda Gerakan Kedah berasa kesal bahawa kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat telah gagal untuk menunaikan janji-janji mereka yang termaktub di dalam Dasar Bersama Pakatan Rakyat.

Kenaikan caj air sekitar 27 peratus sememangnya akan membebankan rakyat Kedah.

Seperti yang telah disasarkan oleh Pemuda Gerakan Kedah pada awal tahun ini, proses pengkorporatan jabatan bekalan air sebagai SADA oleh Pakatan Rakyat akan membebankan rakyat Kedah, terutamanya golongan yang berpendapatan rendah. Pada masa tersebut, kerajaan Kedah telah menafikan apa-apa niat untuk menaikkan tarif air.

Pakatan Rakyat harus sedar bahawa rakyat Kedah, terutamanya golongan berpendapatan rendah akan menjadi mangsa utama kepada proses kenaikan tariff air Kedah.

Pemuda Gerakan Kedah menyeru agar Pakatan Rakyat berprihatin terhadap rakyat Kedah dan tidak mengambil keputusan yang membebankan rakyat Kedah.

Sekiranya Pakatan Rakyat berprihatin terhadap rakyat Kedah dan ikhlas terhadap janji-janji di dalam Dasar Bersama Pakatan Rakyat, maka kerajaan negeri Kedah harus mengambil langkah dengan serta merta untuk mengarahkan SADA untuk membatalkan kenaikan tariff air.

Other Pakatan Rakyat States Should Not Follow Penang's Method To Increase Water Tariff

I refer to the announcement by the Pakatan Rakyat led Penang government to impose a surcharge of 24 sen per 1,000 litres on domestic consumers using more than 35,000 litres of water per month. Pakatan Rakyat claims that the “Water Conservation Surcharge” (WCS) is part of their effort to encourage wise water usage and to curb water wastage among the people of Penang.

In last December, 2009, Pakatan Rakyat pledged in their Common Policies Framework (paragraph H):-

(a) that providing and maintaining good public infrastructure is the government’s responsibility;
(b) the implementation should not burden the people; and
(c) they would guarantee clean water at reasonable rates to every family in Malaysia

However, the recent introduction of WCS by Pakatan Rakyat clearly fails to take into account that the number of person in every household may not be the same.

The average monthly water consumption of 35,000 litres as estimated by Pakatan Rakyat for Penang is an assumption based on the average number of persons (example of 5 person) in a household. Such an assumption would burden large families living in a single home (example 10 persons) and it is unreasonable to impose WCS on large families living in a single home.

While Kedah Gerakan Youth welcomes any move to curb water wastage among the people, such a move should be a rationale move implemented based on proper studies and should not be a hasty move that unfairly burdens any group of people. Otherwise, it can be assumed that such moves are mere attempts to increase water tariff and disguise under the pretext of curbing water wastage.

Any move to introduce WCS should take into account the actual numbers of person living in a household.

Based on the aforesaid, the current introduction of WCS by Pakatan Rakyat in Penang should not be taken as precedent for other Pakatan Rakyat states to increase the water tariff in their respective states.

It is hope that Pakatan Rakyat would honour their pledge made in their Common Policies Framework to assure the people that other Pakatan Rakyat states would not follow the hasty move by Pakatan Rakyat Penang to introduce WCS without considering the actual number of occupants of a household.

SELAMAT HARI RAYA TO ALL MALAYSIANS

SELAMAT HARI RAYA TO ALL MALAYSIANS!

BN & PR MUST JOINTLY SPEARHEAD REFORMS TO REJECT RACE & RELIGIOUS BASED POLITICAL PARTY

In recent times, Malaysians have seen the escalation of racist and religious extremism in our country.

There had been many suggestions to ease the escalation of the tension among Malaysians caused by such extremism including the enactment of laws to govern race relations to deter racist taunts and to revamp the education system in our country. Even our Prime Minister, Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak have advised Malaysians not to question the social contract that had been formulated since our country’s independence.

It was also reported today that DAP’s adviser YB Lim Kit Siang had urged the government to launch a nationwide campaign “Say No To Racism”.

Undoubtedly, everyone in Malaysia, whether supportive of Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat wants to eradicate the racial and religious tension in this country.

The introduction of laws governing race relations and the “Say No To Racism” nationwide campaign should be welcomed (though it should also include “Say No To Religious Extremism”).

However, these are all mere short term measures that may not solve the underlying problem.

I believe that the root of the cause of growing racist and religious extremism is the political landscape in our country.

The existence of race and religious based political party in our country would indirectly promote the existence of individuals who would champion their respective race and religion.

It is near to impossible to eradicate racist and religious extremism if the political landscape in our country still permits the existence of race based or religious based political party.

Now, in the interest of Malaysians, both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat should jointly commit to draw a roadmap to stop the existence of race and religious based political party within their coalition and this country. Such reforms should cover the amendments of the objectives in the constitution of such race and religious based political party

It cannot be denied that there are currently no provisions under the law that prohibits the existence of race and religious based political party. However, that should not be a reason for any race and religious based party to reject reforms within itself for the interest of all Malaysians.