GEORGE TOWN, June 14 – The recent water tariff hike by Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang (PBAPP) has sparked widespread outrage among the 1.7 million residents of Penang. Many are astonished by the steep increase, with some households seeing their bills jump from RM10.64 to RM54, a staggering 182% rise. Aliran, a local NGO, has publicly criticized the abrupt hike, questioning why the increase couldn’t have been implemented gradually to lessen the impact on consumers.
PBAPP has defended the tariff hike as a necessary measure to prevent water wastage and to generate nearly RM100 million in additional revenue. However, critics, including former Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, suggest a more balanced approach. Lim proposed readjusting the water tariffs to a more reasonable level while re-imposing the Water Conservation Surcharge to specifically target and penalize those who waste water. This, he argues, would still achieve the goal of reducing water wastage and securing the required additional revenue for PBAPP without unduly burdening the public.
