THE new barrage project at Rantau Panjang in Sungai Muda is about 77% complete and is expected to strengthen raw water supply security for Penang and Kedah, says Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
He said the RM117.79 million project, implemented by the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (Petra), involves replacing the existing barrage on the Penang side with a new structure about 300mm higher.
“The purpose of the barrage is to hold and store water, particularly during the dry season, so that sufficient water can be channelled upstream for abstraction by Penang and Kedah for water treatment and agricultural use,” he told Buletin Mutiara after a site visit to the project in Rantau Panjang in North Seberang Perai today.
Chow said Sungai Muda was an important source of raw water for both states, making the project crucial to ensuring long-term water supply security.
He said raising the water level was important to improving raw water intake capacity, reducing the loss of potential water resources and strengthening the resilience of the water supply system in the long term.
Chow added that Petra was also studying several other potential projects to ensure a sustainable and secure water supply for Penang and Kedah.
He said the project was ahead of schedule and was expected to be completed by mid-2027, about six months earlier than originally planned.
Chow said the Penang government had long been aware that the project formed part of the related works under the Mengkuang Dam expansion project.
“There are other components and projects that need to be implemented as well, and we hope all of them can be completed to achieve our objective of ensuring water supply security for both Penang and Kedah,” he said.
Chow also emphasised that the initiative also supported the Penang2030 vision of building a greener and smarter state while ensuring that basic infrastructure continued to support the people’s well-being and the state’s economic growth.
Chow also thanked Petra for funding the project and expressed appreciation to the consultants and contractors involved in its implementation.
“I would like to express my appreciation to Petra for funding this project, as well as to the consultants and contractors involved in delivering the project ahead of schedule, hopefully for the benefit of water users, particularly in Penang,” he said.
Earlier, Chow was briefed by officials from the relevant authorities on the project’s progress, scope of work and implementation, including efforts to strengthen raw water intake capacity and ensure a more reliable water supply for Penang and Kedah.
Also present were state Deputy Secretary (Development) Datuk Mohamed Abdul Rahman, Water Regulatory Division secretary Najwa Juaini Azmi, Petra Water Supply Department Project Design and Management Division director Nor Halim Aludin and Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chief executive officer Datuk K. Pathmanathan.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis
Video by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi