NIBONG TEBAL: The unity government is committed to resolving the water woes in Sungai Bakap even if its candidate contesting in the July 6 by-election does not win the race.
PKR strategy director Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, who is also Deputy Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said the government is committed to do all it can to help people here irrespective of the outcome of the by-election.
"We will never threathen (the people)... And we will not force voters to vote for our candidate.
"Even if our candidate is not elected in, we will still help the people here.
"I can guarantee you that I will come back here again, just like I have been going to Kedah and Kelantan to help resolve the water issues in the two states," he said in his ceramah in Sungai Kechil here last night.
Parts of Sungai Bakap have been facing water supply issues for nearly six years now.
Thousands of residents in Mukim 5 in the Seberang Prai Selatan (SPS) district here are hoping that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's announcement that Perak has agreed to supply water to Penang would signal an end to their longstanding problem.
For the past six years, the residents in 12 residential areas and villages in Mukim 5 have had to live with constant water supply disruptions.
Akmal, however, said it would be easier if the unity government's candidate Dr Joohari Ariffin is voted in as he could serve as a bridge between the people here and both the state and federal governments.
"If voted in, he can also ensure that the mitigation plan, which has been planned out, will proceed according to schedule.
"I understand that our opponent is playing up the water issue during their campaign and their leader had even politicised the issue into a racial issue.
"We admit that there are some issues in Sungai Bakap but we have and will continue to work on solutions," he added.
The by-election for the Sungai Bakap state seat would see a straight fight between Pakatan Harapan's Joohari and Perikatan Nasional's Abidin Ismail.
Meanwhile, Akmal also invited Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor to join his during his visit to several water treatment plants in Kedah later today.
He said works on some of the water treatment plans under the Kedah state's supervision were supposed to have been completed but they were not.
This was despite an extension of time given.
"So, I want to openly extend my invitation to Sanusi to join me in my visit tomorrow (later today)," he said.
