Drink it if it's safe, NGO dares Selangor exco
Published: Jun 16, 2014 3:56 PM | Updated: Jun 16, 2014 6:45 PM
Selangor executive council (exco) members have been dared to drink the treated water samples originating from former mining pools, to prove the water is safe.
Selangor executive council (exco) members have been dared to drink the treated water samples originating from former mining pools, to prove the water is safe.
Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) said that this follows contradictions between statements on whether it is advisable to source water from the abandoned mining pools due to metal contents.
“How will ordinary residents in Selangor be assured that their drinking water is 100 percent safe?
“Full disclosure of all tests conducted must be fast-tracked, in accordance with transparency and accountability, and can no longer rest in the cloud of doubt.
“Or perhaps the best remedy to eliminate any iota of doubt is for Selangor exco members to lead the way and demonstrate drinking these water samples at a public event or occasion,” C4 director Cynthia Gabriel (above) said in a statement.
Cynthia said the Selangor Competency Accountability and Transparency panel (Selcat)'s “rushed” proceedings, which declared the matter resolved, does not cut it.
The state's promise to reveal all tests in a state assembly sitting later this year is also "too little too late", she said.
As such, C4 has filed a freedom of information request for the Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas) to disclose all of its findings on tests on water from the pools.
Syabas to run extra tests
Meanwhile, water distributor Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) said that it will run extra quality tests on water supplied from former mining pools to ensure that it complies with Health Ministry standards.
Its corporate communications head Priscilla Alfred said tests are now conducted at three levels – before treatment, after treatment and before it is distributed to users in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya.
“Besides that, the Health Ministry also monitors raw and treated water at treatment centres under a programme to control the quality of potable water,” she said.
The water is tested for microbes such as Coliform and E Coli, as well as metals, including plumbum (lead), zinc, arsenic and aluminium, once every three days.
“This is beyond the requirements of the Health Ministry...” Priscilla said.
She added that the samples are tested by laboratories accredited by the National Water Services Commission (Span).
Selangor has insisted that the water from these disused mining pools, which will be used during the dry season, is safe for consumption, but Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam (above, left) has advised against it.
Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) said that this follows contradictions between statements on whether it is advisable to source water from the abandoned mining pools due to metal contents.
“How will ordinary residents in Selangor be assured that their drinking water is 100 percent safe?“Full disclosure of all tests conducted must be fast-tracked, in accordance with transparency and accountability, and can no longer rest in the cloud of doubt.
“Or perhaps the best remedy to eliminate any iota of doubt is for Selangor exco members to lead the way and demonstrate drinking these water samples at a public event or occasion,” C4 director Cynthia Gabriel (above) said in a statement.
Cynthia said the Selangor Competency Accountability and Transparency panel (Selcat)'s “rushed” proceedings, which declared the matter resolved, does not cut it.
The state's promise to reveal all tests in a state assembly sitting later this year is also "too little too late", she said.
As such, C4 has filed a freedom of information request for the Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas) to disclose all of its findings on tests on water from the pools.
Syabas to run extra tests
Meanwhile, water distributor Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) said that it will run extra quality tests on water supplied from former mining pools to ensure that it complies with Health Ministry standards.
Its corporate communications head Priscilla Alfred said tests are now conducted at three levels – before treatment, after treatment and before it is distributed to users in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya.
“Besides that, the Health Ministry also monitors raw and treated water at treatment centres under a programme to control the quality of potable water,” she said.
The water is tested for microbes such as Coliform and E Coli, as well as metals, including plumbum (lead), zinc, arsenic and aluminium, once every three days.“This is beyond the requirements of the Health Ministry...” Priscilla said.
She added that the samples are tested by laboratories accredited by the National Water Services Commission (Span).
Selangor has insisted that the water from these disused mining pools, which will be used during the dry season, is safe for consumption, but Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam (above, left) has advised against it.
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