COMMENT | The other day I had my water supply cut - without any warning. No bills, no notice despite claims by the utility that they had sent it.

There are three important essential services that I can think of - water, electricity and communications. Take any of them away at any point and what you have is extreme deprivation.

Okay, mistakes happen, right? I called Air Selangor - it will be restored in 24 hours they said after bill payment. But can I complain first about not getting notices. We send our bills every two months, they said, but I have not got them, I said.

We issued notices that we were going to cut the water supply, they said, but I did not get them, I replied. Did you tell us that you did not get the bills, they said - it’s your responsibility to make sure that you send the bills and I get them, I said. I can’t pay your bills if you don’t send them to me, I added for good measure.

You have my phone number and my email address, why did you not send me the bill, the notice to terminate, etc, to these, I asked. This was the first call. By the time of the second call, I had made my payment online. Air Selangor confirmed that payment had been made.

I want to make a complaint against Air Selangor, I said in the second call. This is most unfair - you have cut my water supply and it is not my fault, I said. Why would I not pay my bill if you gave me notice that you are going to cut the supply and I received it.

The stunning reply from Air Selangor’s representative was, no sir, you can’t make a complaint until your water supply is reconnected. But I have paid my bill, I fumed. Why can’t I make a complaint after I have paid my bill? No, you can’t, wait until your water is reconnected.

How deviously clever of them! After the relief of a return of water supply, how many people would still...