Gangguan bekalan air di P.Pinang pada 28 Disember

PENANG, 21/12/2010: Orang ramai di negeri Pulau Pinang dinasihatkan hari ini untuk membuat persiapan bagi menyimpan air yang mencukupi untuk kegunaan pada 28 Disember 2010.

Ketua Menteri Y.A.B Lim Guan Eng mengingatkan orang ramai untuk bersedia menghadapi gangguan bekalan air berkala kerana Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang (PBAPP) perlu menjalankan kerja-kerja penting untuk penaiktarafan dan penyelenggaraan di beberapa loji rawatan air dan paip agihan di negeri Pulau Pinang.

Beliau berkata kebanyakan kawasan di Negeri Pulau Pinang akan mengalami gangguan selama 12 jam, dari jam 7.00 pagi sehingga 7.00 malam. Gertak Sanggul & Teluk Kumbar mungkin mengalami gangguan selama 24 jam (dari jam 7.00 pagi 28.12.2010 hingga 7.00 pagi 29.12.2010) kerana kawasan-kawasan ini terletak di hujung rangkaian paip agihan.

Kawasan-kawasan yang berdekatan dengan loji rawatan air yang sedia ada seperti Air Itam, Balik Pulau, Batu Ferringhi, Penang Hill, Tanjung Bungah, Tanjong Tokong dan Teluk Bahang tidak akan terlibat dengan gangguan ini. (Sila rujuk kepada peta yang disertakan.)

Kebanyakan kilang-kilang dan bangunan tinggi di dalam kawasan yang terlibat mempunyai tangki simpanan air untuk menampung penggunaan sekurang-kurangnya 24 jam. Rumahrumah persendirian juga kebanyakannya mempunyai tangki simpanan air.

“Mereka yang tiada tangki simpanan air di rumah masing-masing dinasihatkan untuk membuat persediaan untuk menyimpan air bagi kegunaan asas seperti air minuman, memasak dan dalam tandas. Sila siapkan simpanan air sebelum jam 7.00 pagi.” kata Y.A.B. Lim.

“Kita sedar yang gangguan ini akan menyebabkan sedikit kesulitan untuk orang ramai di Pulau Pinang. Walau bagaimanapun, kerja-kerja ini perlu dijalankan untuk mengekalkan pembekalan air yang baik secara berterusan kerana penggunaan air telahpun meningkat.”

“PBAPP perlu menghentikan operasi di Loji Rawatan Sungai Dua selama 12 jam untuk melaksanakan empat kerja utama di loji ini pada 28 Disember 2010. Tiga lagi kerja utama akan dilaksanakan di Bukit Dumbar; simpang antara Jalan Sungai Dua dan Jalan Pekan Darat; dan Jalan Bukit Tengah,” tambah beliau lagi.

“Kita berharap orang ramai di negeri Pulau Pinang faham bahawa kesulitan ini akan memberi manfaat jangka panjang dengan mengurangkan risiko berlakunya gangguan air yang tidak dijadualkan, kekurangan air atau tekanan air rendah di masa hadapan.” kata Y.A.B Lim.

Y.A.B. Lim menyatakan tarikh 28 Disember dipilih sebagai tarikh yang paling sesuai untuk mengurangkan kesan gangguan bekalan.

“28 Disember ialah hari bekerja dimana kebanyakan orang ramai bercuti hujung tahun; dan kebanyakan kilang-kilang tidak beroperasi pada tahap maksima.

“Oleh kerana skop, jenis dan juga skala kerja-kerja yang perlu dijalankan pada 28 Disember, ianya perlu dilakukan pada siang hari. PBAPP juga perlu mengambilkira aspek keselamatan pekerja dan orang ramai. Lebih kurang 300 pekerja PBAPP akan terlibat untuk memastikan kerja-kerja ini dijalankan dengan sempurna dan mengikut jadual.” jelas beliau lagi.

Y.A.B. Lim juga menyatakan bahawa Kerajaan Negeri meluluskan tarikh ini pada akhir bulan Oktober 2010, dan PBAPP telah memaklumkan hal ini kepada semua pengguna utama dan kritikal.

PBAPP juga telah memaklumkan hal ini secara rasmi kepada semua Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri, jabatan dan agensi kerajaan (termasuk Jabatan Bomba), hotel-hotel serta hospital mengenai gangguan sejak awal bulan Disember.

“Ini bukan kali pertama terdapatnya gangguan air berkala seperti ini diadakan, dan kali terakhir ia dijalankan ialah pada tahun 2006.

“Semua badan yang menyediakan perkhidmatan kritikal seperti hospital dan Bomba mestilah mempunyai rancangan kontingensi untuk menghadapi gangguan 12 jam ini.

Organisasi berkenaan sepatutnya mempunyai rancangan sebegini bukan sekadar untuk 28 Disember, malah ianya lebih penting untuk mengatasi gangguan air yang tidak dijadualkan.” kata beliau.

Untuk maklumat lebih lanjut mengenai gangguan bekalan air pada 28 Disember 2010, sila hubungi Pusat Panggilan Pelanggan PBAPP 24-jam melalui talian 04-509 6 509.

Sg. Nibong Fire causes excitement among local politicians

Suspected faulty electrical wiring may have caused two families to lose their homes in a fire that broke out yesterday afternoon at Sungai Nibong Tengah, near the Shell station at Sunshine Square in Bayan Baru. No casualties were reported.

"The fire was put under control within 20 minutes. The cause of the fire is still under investigation," said Arifuddin Atis, the chief fireman.

Arifuddin also confirmed that the Jalan Tengah fire station received a call from the public at 2:29 p.m., and that the fire engines arrived at the scene in less than five minutes.

“..I saw smoke coming out of his house and immediately dialled 999,” said Mohd Rashid Hasnon, representing the state assemblyman for Pantai Jerejak, Sim Tze Tzin.

Sim presented RM1500 each to the two families today.

"The financial aid is from my allocation, Tabung TYT and Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat," he added.

“I have also initiated the volunteer fire-brigade with Arifuddin today,” commented Sim, indicating a need for more volunteer services in the community.

According to Chan Kim Beng from the Residents’Association of Bayan Baru, several notable people were present at the scene. Wong Mun Hoe, the BN coordinator for Pantai Jerejak, together with Tan Lai Theng and K.Sathiaselan; both chairman of the Bayan Baru division of MCA and MIC respectively.

Independent MP for Bayan Baru, Zahrain Mohd Hashim will visit the site tomorrow morning.

Ong Poh Siang resided in the squatter house together with his family. His father, daughter and son-in-law, Lim Seng Teong lived next door. Everyone except the elderly man was at work when the fire broke out. The elder Ong had shouted for help which caught the attention of his neighbour some ten minutes later. His daughters are Lake Koon, Lake Hoon and Lake Cheng.

Four fire engines arrived at the scene. However, only a small fire engine managed to squeeze through the narrow paths of the squatter area to the site. During which, the fire had already razed the whole house leaving behind only some walls.

The total amount of loss is not known yet.

Press Statement by Teng Hock Nan

Penang Gerakan chief Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan today slammed Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for his outburst against non-governmental organizations (NGOs) over the plastic bag ruling, saying Lim’s remarks were “unbecoming, petty and unwarranted.”

Dr Teng said Lim’s comments also contained elements of threat against NGOs and his unwillingness to accept differing views.

“It also reflects his dictatorial style of administration. He approves the ruling of plastic bag ban and must accept responsibility. Don’t pass the buck to the NGOs, if things are not going his way,” said Dr Teng in a statement.

Dr Teng said an NGO’S role is to provide views and options on the subjects they were set up and not to go around helping the government to implement policies.

On the use of plastic bags, Dr Teng said he agreed that there should not be an over-use but any action to ban the usage completely, especially when it could cause inconveniences, loss of income and affect the state’s economy, must be properly studied.

“We must always consider the views and plight of all interested parties including hawkers, petty traders, the lower-income group and plastic manufacturers,” he added.

On Tuesday, Lim hit out at NGOs for deserting the state when its no free plastic bag ruling came under fire.

“I am disappointed that they have not come out in full support of the ruling which they were pushing for,” he said, also describing NGOs as pandai cakap (good at talking). The ruling will come into effect daily from Jan 1.

Penang Gerakan State Chairman
Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan