He said no single state should have the power to hold another hostage, especially in the face of climate change and events like El Nino, which could significantly impact water availability.

Santiago said instead of competing to assert dominance, states should focus on sharing prosperity and the well-being of all.

“No state should suffer from water scarcity while others have an abundance (of it). The economy of all states are intertwined, but yet, there are some who are keen to show who’s boss,” he said.

In future, the states must be prepared to give up water to their neighbours when needed. “It is time they set aside their egos and look at this from a national interest,” he told FMT.

Santiago said in the case of Perak being reluctant to give up water to Penang, it was disheartening to learn that a significant amount of Perak’s water was flowing into the sea, wasted and unused.

He gave the example of excess raw water from the Sultan Azlan Shah dam going into the Ulu Kinta river, which could have been shared with neighbouring Penang.

Sharing of resources, even if payments were involved, should be given priority. “States can’t afford to claim they own their water resources any more. Water supply is no longer defined by boundaries. It is time for us to discard this outdated thinking,” he said.