PETALING JAYA: Penang water supply operator Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang (PBAPP) has won five gold awards and one silver award for its occupational safety and health (OSH) projects and programmes at six installations.
Its CEO, Datuk Pathmanathan K, said employee safety was vital to maintaining round-the-clock water supply services for Penang’s 721,666 registered water consumers.
“PBAPP must continue to prioritise the safety and good health of a workforce that is continuously striving to sustain good water supply services on a 24/7 basis,” he said in a statement.
The awards recognised OSH achievements at the Bertam Operations Complex, Batu Ferringhi Water Treatment Plant, Bukit Panchor Water Treatment Plant, Bukit Toh Allang Water Treatment Plant, Sungai Pinang Water Treatment Plant and Waterfall Water Treatment Plant.
Pathmanathan headed the PBAPP delegation that received the awards at the 44th Malaysian Society of Occupational Safety and Health Ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.
The awards assessed occupational safety and health performance through established leading and lagging indicators, the effectiveness of safety and health management systems, continuous improvement, and consistency, persistence and resilience in maintaining safety practices and addressing workplace challenges.
The assessment also involved document reviews and on-site verification audits conducted by qualified MSOSH auditors.
PBAPP invested RM1.01 million in OSH initiatives in 2025 and allocated RM1.1 million for such initiatives in 2026.
Pathmanathan described the 2025 expenditure as a worthwhile business and corporate social responsibility investment.
In 2025, the company served 721,666 consumers, comprising 619,725 domestic consumers (households) and 101,941 non-domestic consumers, including businesses, government agencies and social organisations.
PBAPP employed 1,538 personnel to serve its customer base, representing a ratio of one employee for every 469 customers.
“As Penang strives to become a ‘family-focused, green and smart state that inspires the nation’, PBAPP is implementing the Water Contingency Plan 2030 to upgrade water supply infrastructure and expand the scope of our operations,” Pathmanathan said.
He said the company was preparing to supply more water to people and businesses and stressed that minimising workplace accidents and mishaps supported its ability to maintain water supply services around the clock.
He added that investment in occupational safety and health benefited both its employees and Penang’s water consumers.
PBAPP announced in June that it would invest nearly RM2.9 billion in 12 water supply projects over five years, as water consumption in Penang is projected to rise 34.3% from 865 million litres per day in 2025 to at least 1,162 million litres per day by 2032.
PBAPP is a wholly owned subsidiary of PBA Holdings Bhd, which is listed on Bursa Malaysia’s Main Market.
The Penang state government, through the State Secretary, Penang, held a 55% stake in PBA Holdings Bhd as at March 31, 2026, while Penang Development Corporation held 10%.