Water talks end unresolved

Water talks end unresolved

MALAYSIA: Malaysia and neighboring Singapore failed on Thursday to resolve differences over the thorny issue of raw and processed water pricing after two days of talks.

A brief joint statement issued after the meeting between officials of both sides in the southern Malaysian city of Johor Baru said officials would report details back to their leaders.

The two governments are at odds over how much Singapore should pay its neighbor for raw water and what Malaysia should pay for treated water piped back to it.

The two countries, which separated in 1965 after a brief union following independence from Britain, are close trading partners but do engage occasionally in bilateral disputes.

Singapore pays three Malaysian cents (85 U.S. cents) for every 1,000 gallons of raw water it gets from Johor state, a figure Kuala Lumpur initially said it wanted to raise 100-fold though it has since revised the offer. --Reuters