Coalition Against Water Privatisation concerned over delay in written judgement

Published : October 04, 2012      Source : The Edge

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 4): Efforts of water consumers to challenge a Court of Appeal order preventing public access to a confidential audit report and a water concession agreement have stalled as the applicants have yet to obtain the written judgement.

The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) and 13 water consumers said that Justice Datin Paduka Zaleha Zahari and Justice Datuk Seri Abu Samah Nordin have yet to provide their written judgement in the appeal where the duo ruled that the respondents have no legal right of access to the audit report and water concession agreement involving the federal government, Selangor government and Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) in 2011.

Water is God's gift, say religious groups

by Fauwaz Abdul Aziz     Published 6 Aug 2007     Source : Malaysiakini

Despite the authorities' refusal to permit the seminar from being held at the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, six religious groups declared over the weekend their united stand on the human right to water.

At a Saturday forum in Kuala Lumpur, they inked their endorsement of a 'Merdeka Water Declaration' on the sacred right of access for all peoples' to water.

The groups included the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim), the Archdiocesan Office for Human Development (AOHD), the Buddhist Missionary Society of Malaysia (BMSM) and the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM).

Religious forum on water 'forced' to switch venue

by Fauwaz Abdul Aziz     Published 4 Aug 2007    Source : Malaysiakini

Organisers of an inter-religious seminar on water privatisation have been forced to make last-minute changes to their plans, as certain quarters have withheld permission to hold it at the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, its original venue.

The half-day seminar, entitled 'United for Water: Religions Speak on the Right to Water' and scheduled for today, has the backing of eight religious organisations and a number of civil society organisations.

National Mosque officials were said to have been supportive of the event and had extended their cooperation and its facilities to the seminar organisers.

Water: A challenge to religious leaders

by  Fauwaz Abdul Aziz     Published 31 Mar 2007     Source : Malaysiakini

Religious leaders in the country were challenged today to apply the teachings of their respective scriptures on water and declare their opposition to the 'profitisation' of the natural resource.

At the forefront of the call was Council of Churches of Malaysia's (CCM) general secretary Hermen Shastri, who urged church leaders to ink their objections to the privatisation of water treatment, supply, and management at a profit and at the expense of the people.

"Water was created by God as a gift for all people," Shastri told participants at a forum on Religion and the Human Right to Water held at Universiti Malaya (UM) in Petaling Jaya.
The event was organised by the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) and several other non-governmental organisations.

CAWP: Amend water bills before the deluge

by Claudia Theophilus     Published 28 Apr 2006     Source : Malaysiakini

The draft Water Services Industry (WSI) Bill, in its present form, risks signing away Malaysia's sovereignty by laying itself at the mercy of global water barons, an economist warned.

Coalition Against Water Privatisation (CAWP) co-ordinator Charles Santiago said the European Union has already asked Malaysia to open up its water sector under the General Agreement on Trade in Service (GATS).

"This is a fact. Water is definitely on the table for GATS as confirmed by sources in Geneva who are monitoring globalisation trends," he said at a press briefing in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

Stormy passage expected for water bills

by Beh Lih Yi     Published 26 Apr 2006     Source : Malaysiakini

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.

Water bills: The peoples version

by Claudia Theophilus     Published 27 Feb 2006     Source : Malaysiakini

Why is the government so intent on privatising the country's water management when it should be funding public utilities that are operationally viable but have been denied financial assistance?

This was part of a questionnaire accompanying a memorandum submitted to the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry by the Coalition Against Water Privatisation (CAWP) in Putrajaya this afternoon.

The document contained proposed amendments to the Water Services Industry (WSI) Bill 2005 and the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) Bill 2005 which are scheduled for tabling in Parliament next month.

Privatisation: Govt flayed for not consulting civil society

by Adriana Nordin Manan     Published 23 Jun 2005    Source ： Malaysiakini

The government today came under fire for not including the civil society in the consultative process on plans to privatise water supply and healthcare in the country.

Panelists and individuals at the 'Privatising Water and Health Services in Malaysia?' forum in Kuala Lumpur demanded increased inclusiveness in every level of the process.

Without mincing his words, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy secretary-general Xavier Jayakumar, who was one of the panelists, took the government to task for not keeping the deliberation process transparent.

Cynical reaction over move to axe water privatisation

by Claudia Theophilus     Published 22 Jun 2005      Source : Malaysiakini

Representatives of civil society and consumer groups now want the government to take its decision to scrap privatisation of water supply services to a new level, by proving its commitment in ways that convince the public.

Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation director Charles Santiago, who has strongly opposed the privatisation move, also said Energy, Water and Communications Minister Dr Lim Keng Yaik should ensure that state governments are equally committed to the decision.

"What he is saying isn't new. In fact, he's merely repeating a similar statement that he made on April 30. I think this may only be paying lip-service," Santiago said when contacted today.

Water concessionaire taken to task for improprieties

by Roshan Jason     Published 10 Jun 2005       Source : Malaysiakini

Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) has already been issued a show-cause letter by the government but a group of concerned citizens, non-governmental organisations and politicians want more action taken against the concessionaire for other 'scandalous' activities.

They also want the authorities to answer daunting questions pertaining to the Syabas scandal and the government's water privatisation plans nationwide.

The company has been accused of flouting open tender requirements - when awarding a RM375 million tender to replace water pipes in the Klang Valley - by manipulating its outcome.

NGOs unite to stop water privatisation move

by Nurul Nazirin     Published 17 Jan 2005    Source : Malaysiakini

A coalition of seven non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that is lobbying against privatisation of water supply, today submitted a memorandum to Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang at the Parliament lobby.

Led by Malaysian Trades Union Congress president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud, the group timed its action to take advantage of the special three-day Parliamentary sitting from today.

Among other matters, it will debate constitutional amendments to transfer power from state governments to the federal government to take over the supply and management of water to consumers. It is widely known that this will be done through privatisation.

NGOs: Water privatisation will punish the poor

by Nurul Nazirin     Published 11 Jan 2005    Source : Malaysiakini

While the Malaysian parliament will convene a special three-day sitting on Monday to debate transfer of power for supply, treatment, distribution and billing of water supply, an Indonesian court has been preoccupied with similar issues.

In both countries, non-governmental organisations are rallying against the proposal which, they claim, will burden those unable to pay for privatised water supply.

Malaysian economist Charles Santiago ( left ), said he testified against the privatisation of water resources in a case before the Judicial Review Act 7, 2004, at the Constitutional Court in Jakarta last Wednesday.