By Steven Sim Chee Keong

Recently, the state assemblyman of Bakar Bata, Ahmad Bashah Md. Hanafiah who is also a Senator and the Deputy Minister for Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism proposed to block the natural flow of Sungai Muda into Penang if the Penang state government refused to pay Kedah for raw water taken from the river.

It has been repeated for the umpteenth time that it is Penang’s riparian rights to draw water from Sungai Muda which flows naturally into the state. And besides, for the sake of national solidarity, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has asked to meet Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir to discuss this matter.

The proposal by UMNO’s Ahmad Bashah showed that he is still living in a pre-Merdeka state of mind. Firstly, Ahmad Bashah has shown no sense of camaraderie between two neighbouring states under one Malaysian flag. Secondly, he is acting like the old colonial government, because only a coloniser will rob the people off their rights, as well as exploiting their natural resources.

This is a consistent attitude demonstrated by UMNO towards Pakatan Rakyat states, with water supply-related sabotage in Selangor and Kelantan, causing the suffering of the people in those states.

In fact, it is appalling that Johor treats Singapore better than UMNO treats PR states. Johor has for decades sold cheap raw water to Singapore and then purchased treated water from the neighbouring country at a higher price.

I urge UMNO and Kedah state government in particular to uphold the spirit of Merdeka and stop acting like the imperialist to make unreasonable demands on the people of Penang.