MTUC dibenar buat semakan swasta air

Oleh AMIRUDDIN HARUN

KUALA LUMPUR 14 Jun – Kongres Kesatuan Sekerja Malaysia (MTUC) dan 13 yang lain hari ini memperoleh kebenaran Mahkamah Tinggi (Bahagian Rayuan dan Kuasa-Kuasa Khas) untuk membuat semakan kehakiman terhadap keputusan Menteri Tenaga, Air dan Komunikasi yang enggan mendedahkan laporan audit dan perjanjian konsesi berhubung penswastaan air di Lembah Klang.

Hakim Datuk Wan Afrah Wan Ibrahim yang membuat keputusan itu setelah mendengar hujah kedua-dua pihak, berpuas hati bahawa permohonan itu bukanlah sesuatu yang remeh dan menyusahkan serta boleh dihujahkan.

Berhubung isu locus standi (hak di sisi undang-undang), menurut beliau, ia akan dipertimbangkan bersama merit kes berkenaan.

‘‘Pemohon telah berjaya membuktikan prima facie dalam kes tersebut dan dengan itu kebenaran (seperti yang dipohon) dibenarkan,’’ katanya.

Peguam Malik Imtiaz Sarwar yang mewakili pemohon ketika ditemui di luar mahkamah menyatakan, kedua-dua pihak selepas ini akan saling membalas afidavit sebelum tarikh pendengaran permohonan itu ditetapkan.

Dalam saman yang difailkan pada 15 Januari lalu, MTUC dan 13 yang lain termasuk dua kanak-kanak berusia 10 dan 15 tahun mendakwa wujudnya keraguan orang ramai terhadap laporan audit yang dijadikan asas kenaikan tarif air pada hujung tahun lalu.

Pemohon menamakan menteri berkenaan responden pertama, kerajaan Negeri Selangor responden kedua dan kerajaan Malaysia responden ketiga.

Menerusi saman tersebut, mereka memohon perisytiharan bahawa pemohon dan orang awam berhak untuk mengakses laporan audit Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn. Bhd. (Syabas) dan Perjanjian Konsesi antara kerajaan Malaysia dan kerajaan Negeri Selangor dengan Syabas bertarikh 15 Disember 2004.

Secara alternatifnya, mereka memohon perisytiharan laporan audit dan perjanjian konsesi itu adalah bukan dokumen rahsia tetapi dokumen awam.

Selain itu, mereka memohon perintah certiorari bagi membatalkan keputusan menteri untuk tidak menyiarkan atau mendedahkan laporan audit dan perjanjian berkenaan kepada pemohon.

Turut dipohon ialah perintah mandamus (memaksa pihak berkuasa mematuhi perintah mahkamah) bahawa menteri tersebut menyiar dan mendedahkan laporan serta perjanjian itu serta kandungannya kepada pemohon atau orang awam.

Pemohon yang mendakwa mempunyai hak untuk menikmati tahap kesihatan yang baik termasuk mendapat air minuman yang selamat menyatakan, MTUC pada 7 November tahun lalu telah meminta menteri terbabit mendedahkan laporan audit dan perjanjian tersebut.

Walaupun pada awalnya tiada jawapan diterima, menteri berkenaan dalam surat bertarikh 4 Disember tahun lalu menyatakan bahawa permintaan itu ditolak kerana dokumen terbabit dikategorikan sebagai sulit dan rahsia kerajaan.

Bagaimanapun responden pertama menyatakan bahawa laporan audit itu telah diluluskan oleh Kabinet dan ia mengesahkan Syabas telah berjaya mencapai sasaran lima peratus pengurangan air yang tidak membawa hasil (NRW) sehingga melayakkan Syabas menaikkan tarif air mulai 1 November tahun lalu.

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