SHAH ALAM, Mar 4 – The Selangor state government should be given priority in implementing water restructuring in this state, said the Dato’ Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

He said, what had happened recently showed the Federal Government and relevant parties did not respect the state government’s rights.

“We feel this way because initially they had given us the right to restructure the state’s water industry,” he said when commenting on the statement by Energy, Water and Telecommunications Minister, Dato’ Shaziman Abu Mansor who had advised the state government not to politicise the federal government’s efforts in this issue.

Abdul Khalid said the state government would stand its ground in wanting to renegotiate the restructuring through a state agency.

“This involves the rights of the people, no matter what party they are from including Umno-Barisan Nasional (BN) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), everyone drinks the same water,” he said in a media conference after chairing the weekly Exco meeting this afternon. – MURIZA ABDUL HAMID