The Bill to amend the National Water Services Commission Act (SPAN) or Act 465 will be tabled at the next Dewan Rakyat meeting scheduled from Oct 9-Nov 30, says Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
The amendment involved ten existing provisions and two additional ones aimed at empowering and facilitating SPAN in terms of financing, shortening the commission members’ service period, and minimising the minister’s powers.
“We intend to shorten the maximum term of committee members from 10 years to six… we also want to minimise the power of the minister,” he said during a briefing session on the SPAN Bill and Environmental Quality (Amendment) Bill.
According to Nik Nazmi, the two additional provisions involve the commission’s logo and representation and give full authority to the commission to determine the terms of employment and disciplinary rules.
Meanwhile, the Environmental Quality Bill proposed to impose a fine of not less than RM5,000 and up to RM10 million and mandatory imprisonment of not more than five years for pollution and the release of oil waste and waste material into the environment.
“The amendment clearly signals the government is serious about controlling environmental pollution and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.
