The two controversial water bills may not be passed so smoothly in the
Dewan Rakyat next week when they are expected to be tabled for the
second and third readings.
This is because opposition parliamentarians are planning to table proposed amendments to the two bills to compel the Parliament to debate recommendations submitted by civil society groups during the public consultation process held last year.
The proposed amendments - details of which are sketchy - will be tabled by way of a motion during the second reading in order to allow members of the House to debate these.
The move has been prompted because the energy, water and communications ministry has almost completely ignored public recommendations despite a five-month-long consultation process.
"There is absolutely no difference after five months of consultations
and 350 recommendations were put forward in the 80 consultation sessions
held," said economist Charles Santiago today.
Santiago, who is spokesperson with the Coalition Against Water Privatisation, said only three minor changes have been made in the newly-tabled bills.
"Civil society has been taken for a ride," he remarked.
He was speaking at a roundtable conference on the two water bills in the Parliament building today. The discussion was organised by parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang.
'False declaration'
The two bills - National Water Services Commission (Span) Bill 2006 and the Water Services Industry (WSI) Bills 2006 - were tabled for first reading on April 10.
Early last year, the government pushed through constitutional amendments which effectively put water under shared federal and state jurisdiction.
The two bills, however, were then put on hold to enable the ministry to gather feedback from the public, who feared the two bills would pave the way for water privatisation.
Elaborating, Santiago also blasted the Energy, Water and Communications Minister Dr Lim Keng Yaik for falsely stating that consumer rights would be protected in the 'water forum'.
Under the WSI bill, a 'water forum' will be established to give feedback and make recommendations to the commission on any matter concerning consumer interest in water supply and sewerage services.
Membership of the 'water forum' is open to 'all persons' but there is no assurance as to whether parties representing the licensees will be barred from sitting in it.
"However the minister has gave us firm affirmation that only consumers will sit in the water forum...no industry players. We have it (the conversation) on tape," Santiago said.
He also argued that the bills, if passed, could be a threat to national sovereignty as Malaysia is a signatory to the World Trade Organisation's general agreement on trade in services.
This states that if a service like water is provided on a commercial and profit basis, the service is then subjected to takeover by multinational corporations, he noted.
It also requires countries to remove barriers to foreign investment and stipulates that foreign companies must be treated on equal basis with local companies.
"The only way to stop opening up our water sector to a takeover by foreign corporations is to ensure water is part of the government services," Santiago said.
Bills are 'vague'
Also speaking at the conference was Greg Lopez, who said the two water bills have given the concerned minister "tremendous discretionary powers" while consumers lack protection.
Lopez, the co-ordinator for Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation, warned that the impact could be far-reaching as the bills are vague and Span's function has been reduced to an advisory role.
This is because opposition parliamentarians are planning to table proposed amendments to the two bills to compel the Parliament to debate recommendations submitted by civil society groups during the public consultation process held last year.
The proposed amendments - details of which are sketchy - will be tabled by way of a motion during the second reading in order to allow members of the House to debate these.
The move has been prompted because the energy, water and communications ministry has almost completely ignored public recommendations despite a five-month-long consultation process.
"There is absolutely no difference after five months of consultations
and 350 recommendations were put forward in the 80 consultation sessions
held," said economist Charles Santiago today.
Santiago, who is spokesperson with the Coalition Against Water Privatisation, said only three minor changes have been made in the newly-tabled bills.
"Civil society has been taken for a ride," he remarked.
He was speaking at a roundtable conference on the two water bills in the Parliament building today. The discussion was organised by parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang.
'False declaration'
The two bills - National Water Services Commission (Span) Bill 2006 and the Water Services Industry (WSI) Bills 2006 - were tabled for first reading on April 10.
Early last year, the government pushed through constitutional amendments which effectively put water under shared federal and state jurisdiction.
The two bills, however, were then put on hold to enable the ministry to gather feedback from the public, who feared the two bills would pave the way for water privatisation.
Elaborating, Santiago also blasted the Energy, Water and Communications Minister Dr Lim Keng Yaik for falsely stating that consumer rights would be protected in the 'water forum'.
Under the WSI bill, a 'water forum' will be established to give feedback and make recommendations to the commission on any matter concerning consumer interest in water supply and sewerage services.
Membership of the 'water forum' is open to 'all persons' but there is no assurance as to whether parties representing the licensees will be barred from sitting in it.
"However the minister has gave us firm affirmation that only consumers will sit in the water forum...no industry players. We have it (the conversation) on tape," Santiago said.
He also argued that the bills, if passed, could be a threat to national sovereignty as Malaysia is a signatory to the World Trade Organisation's general agreement on trade in services.
This states that if a service like water is provided on a commercial and profit basis, the service is then subjected to takeover by multinational corporations, he noted.
It also requires countries to remove barriers to foreign investment and stipulates that foreign companies must be treated on equal basis with local companies.
"The only way to stop opening up our water sector to a takeover by foreign corporations is to ensure water is part of the government services," Santiago said.
Bills are 'vague'
Also speaking at the conference was Greg Lopez, who said the two water bills have given the concerned minister "tremendous discretionary powers" while consumers lack protection.
Lopez, the co-ordinator for Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation, warned that the impact could be far-reaching as the bills are vague and Span's function has been reduced to an advisory role.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng questioned a provision under the WSI
bill which is seen as being against consumer interest because it allows
water supply disconnection for non-payment of sewerage fees.
"This has severe implications especially for those who are not happy with the services of the Indah Water Konsortium (IWK)," said Lim, who present.
"This is unfair to consumer since these are two completely different matters. Is this an attempt to save or salvage the IWK?"
Other speakers were Malaysian Trade Union Congress president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud and Global Environment Centre representative Dr K Kalithasan. The session was moderated by DAP's Ipoh Barat MP M Kula Segaran.
"This has severe implications especially for those who are not happy with the services of the Indah Water Konsortium (IWK)," said Lim, who present.
"This is unfair to consumer since these are two completely different matters. Is this an attempt to save or salvage the IWK?"
Other speakers were Malaysian Trade Union Congress president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud and Global Environment Centre representative Dr K Kalithasan. The session was moderated by DAP's Ipoh Barat MP M Kula Segaran.
No comments:
Post a Comment