“I’m sorry Penang. It is not that we do not pity them, but we need to secure (water) for Perak,” he told FMT in an interview.

“I have made a decision. It is not that we do not understand (Penang’s plight), it is just that we do not have enough (water),” he said, adding that the state needed more water in the long run, especially over the next 30 years.

On March 3, Saarani said the state was unable to supply raw water from Sungai Perak to Penang as studies had shown that Perak did not even have enough for its own use.

He said Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow had been informed of Perak’s decision.

Elaborating on the state’s future needs, Saarani said Perak was expected to have a population of three million by 2050.

“When we have more people, more water will be needed,” he said, citing the example of the increase in water demand in Selangor and Penang when their populations and industries grew.

He also said that Bukit Merah lake, which served as the main source of irrigation for padi fields in Perak, was drying up.

“We have carried out cloud seeding (in the area). But this means Perak’s own needs are more important. We will certainly prioritise the needs of Perakians,” he said.