Malaysia's water challenge in sharp focus

THE region-wide drought seems to have hit some parts of Malaysia particularly hard. So it is good that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has moved to depoliticise the water woes of Selangor state, one of the states worst affected by the lack of rainfall. Last week, his administration signed a pact with that opposition-run state to restructure its water industry. The Selangor government and the water supply companies (some of which are linked to the federally ruling Barisan Nasional coalition) have been blaming each other for supply difficulties. Now, under the deal, the state will take over the four water firms for RM9.65 billion (S$3.74 billion). As matters related to water supply fall under state jurisdiction in Malaysia, the Najib administration has also secured the state's approval to build a RM3.8 billion water treatment plant to ensure adequate supplies until 2025.

However, the immediate problems of this long, dry spell remain. Water is being rationed in parts of the state because water tables in dams have dropped to crisis levels. Other Malaysian west coast states have also signalled the possibility of water rationing if the drought does not end. In Johor, Batu Pahat and Pontian have been put on alert for water rationing. It has been reported that several dams in the southern-most state are just 5 per cent short of reaching their crisis levels. Malaysia's meteorology office has warned that no significant rainfall can be expected until the middle of this month at the earliest in the west coast states.

Worse, the drought may be a harbinger of the El Nino weather phenomenon. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology has forecast an El Nino weather pattern in the coming months. Its modelling shows that Pacific Ocean temperatures would be approaching or exceeding El Nino thresholds in the southern hemisphere winter.