Selangor's finalising of the water concessions takeover yesterday has "checkmated" PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, said Kajang by-election rival Zaid Ibrahim.

After all, Anwar's real reason for contesting Kajang is to replace Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as menteri besar so that the former could influence the water deal, claimed Zaid.

"It's too late. Anwar has been checkmated," he told reporters at his residence in Petaling Jaya today.

He also claimed that PKR was in the loop over the water deal and yesterday's decision, contrary to Anwar's claim .

“They are very much in the know, it's just that they don't agree because one of the reasons for Anwar to be MB is to structure the water (industry) differently.

“PKR can do whatever they want to do, but Khalid is the MB and his duty is not to the party but to the state and its people,” he said.

Zaid ( left ) said Anwar's alleged interests in the deal is one of the reasons why he should be defeated in Kajang.

He said that if Anwar defeats MCA and a host of other Independent candidates who have expressed interest in contesting, “water will be a problem”.

“He will surely privatise water,” claimed Zaid, who intends to contest as an Independent in the March 23 polls.

Anwar has earlier rubbished insinuations that the ‘Kajang Move’ is to allow PKR to broker a deal more friendly to water concessionaires.

He told reporters yesterday that the restructuring of the water industry is good for the state, but also said that the party was in the dark over the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the state and the federal governments.

Khalid's administration yesterday signed an MOU with the federal government over the takeover at a price of RM9.65 billion for the concessionaires.

The MOU, signed after more than five years of tussling, also sees the state conceding on the Langat 2 water treatment plant. In return, the federal government will provide RM2 billion to assist in the takeover.

The takeover is expected to be completed within three months and all four water concessionaires will be placed under the administration of state-owned Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd (KDEB).