SINGAPORE — The Republic is waiting for the Johor state government to provide details of its cloud-seeding operations before the two sides can move forward on the issue, said an official at the Singapore Consulate-General in Johor Baru yesterday (Sept 3).

The official was commenting on remarks made recently by the chairman of Johor’s Works, Regional and Rural Development Committee, Mr Hasni Mohammad.

Mr Hasni had been quoted as saying that cloud-seeding operations in the airspace over Sungai Layang dam would be conducted within the two weeks before water-rationing is lifted on September 15.

The water level in the dam has been low in recent weeks because of the dry weather, affecting Johor’s water supply.

According to earlier reports, the Johor government had submitted to Singapore a request to begin cloud-seeding operations in the airspace over two dams.

Bernama news agency quoted Mr Hasni as saying on Tuesday: “With the help and cooperation of the Singapore Consulate-General office in Johor Baru, we need not wait for an official reply and need only notify the date and method of the operation to be executed.”

Mr Hasni added that the matter was being handled by the Johor Meteorological Department, and no longer at the federal level.

Yesterday, the Singapore Consulate-General official said: “As we have consistently and clearly stated, Singapore fully supports cloud-seeding operations in Johor during this dry season.

“However, in order to move forward on this together, we will need the Johor state government to provide concrete operational details, which we still have not received. We hope to receive the necessary details as soon as possible, so that the civil aviation authorities of both sides can then coordinate the operations. We will work with Malaysia to expedite the cloud-seeding operations once we receive the details.”