Energy, Water and Communications Minister Dr Lim Keng Yaik will seek cabinet approval tomorrow regarding a proposal to extend the deadline for public consultations on the Water Services Industry and the National Water Services Commission bills.

The proposal for an extension was made by representatives of the Coalition Against Water Privatisation and consumer groups who attended a two-hour discussion with the minister late this afternoon.

Asked to confirm whether the deadline would be extended deadline, Lim said: "Let me ask the cabinet tomorrow, after that I can tell you."

Yesterday, the minister announced Nov 24 as the deadline for public comments and feedback on the two bills. They are to be submitted online via a website created specifically for this purpose.

Lim is scheduled to brief parliamentarians, state governments, industry associations and service providers on the water bills over the period until the end of this month.

Coalition Against Water Privatisation co-ordinator Charles Santiago said the minister had agreed in principle to the extension of the consultation period given the short notice.

"We asked for it to be extended for another four months. He then said the first reading of the water bills could be scheduled for the first session of Parliament next year, sometime in March or April.

"The minister also agreed to fund a programme to be organised by non-governmental groups for five different peninsula-wide consultations on the bills, depending on the ministry's budget," he told malaysiakini after the ministry's briefing.

Human rights issue

Santiago said the plan was to consult consumer groups, religious bodies, trade unions and the public in Penang, Ipoh, Selangor, Johor and Kuala Lumpur on the two bills.

He said today's meeting was attended by Lim's deputy Shaziman Abu Mansor and top officials from the Finance Ministry, Economic Planning Unit, the Attorney-General's Chambers, and the Drainage and Irrigation Department.

Also present were representatives from various consumer groups including Fomca, Penang Water Watch, CAP and the Muslim Consumers Association.

According to Santiago, Lim told them that he would asking for the de-classification of the report prepared by government consultants for the drafting the bills after which it would be released to the public via the website.

"We also raised our concern in relation to human rights to water once the bills become law and Lim has promised to look into this."

He said the coalition will prepare a response after the bills are scrutinised by lawyers and water industry people.