30 companies in Selangor suffer huge losses due to water crisis - Mahdzir

Thirty companies in Selangor suffer huge losses due to the water crisis in the state early this year, said Deputy Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

He said information obtained from the Malaysian Investment Development Board (MIDA) showed Nestle suffered losses of RM15 million daily and Monin Asia (RM112 million a month), while Panasonic had to let go of orders worth RM40 million.

He told the Dewan Rakyat in response to a question from Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad (BN-Kuala Kangsar)who wanted to know the impact of the water crisis in Selangor on the country's finance and economy.

Mahdzir said huge losses were also suffered by industries involved in food processing and beverage, rubber, chemical/oleo chemical, electrical and electronic, tourism and small and medium industries.

"There were factories which had to cancel orders, and also those which had to temporarily shift operation elsewhere, including overseas," he added.

He said the water supply crisis had resulted in scheduled water distribution to be carried out for about three months, beginning last March.

Mahdzir said the water supply crisis in the Klang Valley, which had been on going since 2012, resulted in many development projects in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur to be put on hold.

However, he expected to situation to return to normal by 2017 upon completion of the Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant project.

The Langat 2 project, delayed since 2008, resumed last April after the Selangor government agreed to issue the development following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the state and federal governments last Feb 26.