Winter Solstice Message By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In Komtar, George Town On 21.12.2016.
The Penang state government wishes a Happy Winter Solstice and hopes that the tradition of family reunions will be celebrated in the spirit of goodwill, respect and love amongst 1.6 million Penangites of different faiths, ethnicity and cultural backgrounds.
The Winter Solstice celebration is only meaningful when all communities are assured that the basic infrastructure and amenities such as water, electricity, telecommunication and digital connectivity are supplied without interruption. Water supply is turning into a critical issue in Malaysia as a result of climate change. Climate change causes long drought that dries up water dams and reduces our water tables.
Almost every state in Malaysia have faced long droughts and imposed water rationing. Even Taiping with the highest rainfall in Malaysia had to carry out water rationing last year. Penang is fortunate that we are probably the only state in Malaysian history that has not imposed water rationing through CAT administration of competency accountability and transparency. We have prepared ourselves through a 3-prong strategy of:-
a) making top management personally responsible with a “heads will roll” philosophy if water rationing is imposed,
b) competent water demand management through punitive rates imposed on those who waste water and implement water conservation programs; and
c) competent water supply management through determined and extensive protection of water resources by being the only state in Malaysia to fully gazette water catchment areas as well as over-designing our water treatment plants, water pipes and water reservoirs to achieve more than
adequate water supply allowing Penang to enjoy the highest water reserve margin in Malaysia of 32%.
Since 2000, the Penang state government has spent RM1,456,41m in capital development projects in building new or upgraded water treatment plants, pipes and water infrastructure. The state government has also surrendered a portion of its assets to the Federal government so that the Federal government can fund the RM1.2 billion Mengkuang Dam project(expected to be completed in July 2017) that will increase water capacity by 4 times with a new dam circumference of 11 km.
The Penang state government has also being criticised for its “heads will roll” philosophy in putting top management of Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang(PBAPP) to assume personal responsibility by resigning if water rationing is imposed. However this stern ruling has concentrated the focus of top management in PBAPP on taking all measures to ensure no water rationing, including seeking new alternative water resources.
This is the reason the Penang state government is able to guarantee 1.6 million Penangites and investors continuous water supply without any water rationing until 2030.
LIM GUAN ENG
槟州首席部长林冠英于2016年12月21日在乔治市光大发表冬至献词：
州政府向广大的160万名槟城人及投资者保证，直至2030年为止，供水如常，大家不必面临配水的安排。
槟州政府诚挚祝贺各界冬至快乐，并希望大家不分信仰、种族及文化背景，都能在这个代表团圆的传统大日子内，感受到满满的敬重与爱意。
冬至是个大日子，但这个节庆只有在基础设施诸如水源、电源、通讯设备、数位连接等等都能顺利供应下，才能彰显意义。今天，在全球气候变迁的影响下，水库干涸，供水俨然成为了我国的巨大挑战之一。
马来西亚的各个州属，几乎都面对水源不足的棘手问题，导致最终必须实施配水。即便是国内雨量最高的太平，在去年也无可避免地要进行配水。万幸的是，贯彻能干、公信及透明原则的槟城不必面对这样的窘境，我们极可能也是全马唯一不必实施配水的州属。面对水源问题，我们准备三管齐下：-
a)确保供水机构高层负起全责，一旦需要配水，则要“人头落地” 、
b)浪费水源者将被征收附加费以及实施水资源保护计划；与
c)强化水资源的保护。槟城是全国唯一将蓄水区宪报为保护范围的州属，同时在滤水厂、水管、水库等也进行了超安全标准设计，以致我们能以32%的储水率成为全国最高的州属。
自2000年起，槟州政府共投入了14亿5641万 令吉，以便提升滤水厂、水管、以及各水源基建。槟州政府也将部分资产呈交予联邦政府，以便获得12亿令吉来进行孟光水坝计划（预计2017年7月竣工）。有关水坝圆周达11公里，建成后将能比原有的提供4倍的水源。
因为对供水机构高层下了若要配水就“人头落地”的严刑峻法，州政府受到不少的批评。无论如何，正因为如此，供水机构极尽可能地找出方法，包括寻求水源的替代方案等，来确保我们不会遭到配水。
职是之故，政府有能力向广大的160万名槟城人及投资者保证，直至2030年为止，供水如常，大家不必面临配水的安排。
林冠英