PM TICKS OFF AZMIN OVER HANDLING OF SELANGOR WATER CRISIS
Najib says Selangor water crisis is more severe an issue than 1MDB’s debts
SELANGOR Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali found himself in hot water when he was barraged with criticism at the Dewan Rakyat sitting yesterday over the state’s water crisis.
It began when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak raised the issue of Selangor’s water woes while responding to Azmin’s question on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and the management of the country’s debt.
Azmin (PKR-Gombak), in a supplementary question to Najib, who is also finance minister, had asked whether 1MDB’s debts had any impact on the national debt.
“YB Gombak, the water situation in Selangor is more critical,” replied Najib with a smile.
Azmin’s query caused a commotion in the Dewan Rakyat, with several Barisan Nasional members of parliament rising to voice their protest over the rationality of the question, with some arguing that the Selangor water issue was more severe.
Azmin tried to calm the situation by replying: “I am confident that the PM can answer, give him a chance. Do 1MDB’s debts have any impact on the payment of debt interest?”
He failed to soothe frayed tempers and BN MPs rose and urged Azmin to prioritise the water crisis in Selangor.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, who initially only smiled at the scene, intervened by asking MPs to sit, warning that failure to heed his order would see them face action.
His stern tone was ignored by Azmin, who is PKR deputy president, when he stood up to defend himself by saying that the water crisis in Selangor had nothing to do with 1MDB.
Najib then said he brought up the Selangor water crisis while providing an explanation on 1MDB to offer a comparison in determining the government’s priorities in managing issues.
“I gave Gombak (Azmin) an opportunity to ask a question, so give me a chance to answer. I made a comparison and it (the
Selangor water crisis) was just an example.
“Kenapa punggung panas (why so defensive) when we talk about water?” he said, drawing laughter from MPs.
Najib said the strength of Malaysia’s economy was not defined by the size of its debt, but by the country’s ability to pay it.
“The strength lies in our ability to repay our debt. Take, for instance, Singapore. The size of its debt is bigger than ours, but its ability to repay that debt remains. Our ability to repay our debt cannot be questioned because international ratings agencies have given Malaysia an ‘A’.
“This means that Malaysia’s finances, including its debt, is managed well. It is hoped that the water problems in Selangor will be managed as soon as possible.” Additional reporting by Rizanizam Abdul Hamid, Luqman Arif Abdul Karim, Farhana Syed Nokman and Nor Ain Mohamed