LETTER | In conjunction with World Water Day 2025, the Consumers’ Association of Penang urges the government to take serious action regarding the increasingly critical water crisis faced by consumers in the country, especially those living in rural areas.

CAP’s survey found that, apart from frequent disruptions and contamination of piped water supply for daily use, the agricultural sector, especially farmers, is among the most affected groups as they struggle with water shortages for irrigating paddy fields.

Among the affected paddy-growing areas are the nation’s rice granaries, including the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) in Kedah and Perlis, the Kerian/Sungai Manik Agricultural Development Project in Perak and the Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority (Kada) in Kelantan.

Indigenous communities, such as communities in the Gua Musang district of Kelantan and residents in remote areas have also expressed concerns about this issue, as their daily water sources from mountain streams have become polluted or silted due to deforestation, particularly logging and plantation activities near their villages.

The declining water levels in many dams across the country occur frequently, especially during the dry season, while natural rivers that have long served as a source of water and livelihood for rural communities have been polluted with various waste, including toxic substances, and thus, no longer function as a water source.

CAP urges the relevant ministries, departments and agencies involved to take strict action by enforcing laws to maintain and systematically manage water resources while effectively overcoming the root causes of the water crisis.

Consumers, farmers affected

For the past several years, consumers, farmers and Indigenous communities have protested and appealed to the government to resolve the water supply issues they face.

However, this problem remains unresolved to this day.

CAP is concerned that if this situation continues, it will have severe consequences for the agricultural sector, ultimately affecting farmers’ incomes and the nation’s food supply for the people in the future.

Therefore, CAP calls on the government to prioritise addressing the causes of environmental degradation by regulating and restoring affected water catchment areas, ensuring the protection of our water resources and supply, tackling river pollution and safeguarding natural water sources from any threats.

Writer is the president of Consumers Association of Penang.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.