-
New incinerator site: ‘Leave Broga alone!’
Last edited by jeffooi; 25-11-2002 at 04:50 PM.
-
THE MALAY MAIL
Monday, November 25, 2002
New Site For Proposed Rm2 Billion Incinerator:
‘Leave Broga alone!’
Azlan Ramli
BROGA is located 45km from the Kuala Lumpur city centre.
It is a small town which straddles the borders of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.
Broga is 13km from Semenyih town, connected by a zig-zagging trunk road lined mostly by rubber and palm trees.
Taman Tasik Semenyih is a few kilometres from Broga and about 10km from Semenyih town.
Such serene surroundings were “disturbed” when news came that a proposed RM2 billion incinerator would be built there.
Several Taman Tasik Semenyih residents expressed disappointment with the authorities which they felt chose yet another unsuitable location for the incinerator.
School teacher Low Ley Peng, 38, who has been living there for three years, is very upset with this new development.
“I feel sangat sedih, geram and kecewa. We are depressed now. Why can’t the Government find a place where there is no residential areas nearby?” said Low.
Remisier Kamal Hazelly Mohamed, 34, is equally upset.
“I understand that the incinerator, from what has been written about it, will be a self-contained system, where pollution is kept to a minimum and will not really affect surrounding residents,” said Kamal.
“We are concerned about how the waste is to be transported to the incinerator. The road leading up to this place is not that good. Will we see rubbish lorries regularly using the road in the future?
“I bought a house here because I liked the idea that there will be a university built nearby soon. Now, I hear that the university project has been put on hold because of the resiting of the incinerator.”
Kamal said he has been living there for four years and commutes 60km daily to his office in Shah Alam.
“No matter how safe the incinerator is said to be, I don’t want it near our area.”
The university he was referring to is the branch campus of the University of Nottingham, which the authorities recently approved a 40ha land in Semenyih for the purpose.
On Nov 19, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo had said the campus would be completed next year or early 2004 at the latest, and the first intake could be as early as September 2003.
He said the campus “will turn Semenyih into a hub of economic activity.”
Another resident, Mahinar Abdul Aziz, 49, also wants the authorities to find another place for the incinerator project.
“People buy houses here to escape the pollution and hassles of city life. Now, all these are following us. We have wasted our money and time then,” said Mahinar who has been living there for two years and works in Jalan Chan Sow Lin, Kuala Lumpur.
Yet another resident, Nor Kadim Ithnin said the local authority must at least explain to the residents about the incinerator and its exact site.
“Given a choice, I don’t want it to be here, based on what I have read in the newspapers,” said Nor Kadim, 40, an IT executive who has been living there for two years.
Pharmacist S. Ganesan, 55, who has lived there for five years, cannot understand why the authorities made such a decision.
“Just because one community complained, it doesn’t mean that another will not. What made the authorities think that the incinerator will not affect our lives here?” said Genesan.
“We moved here to have a clean, idyllic environment, but now even the University of Nottingham’s campus may not be a reality here.”
SOURCE:
http://www.mmail.com.my/Current_News...20021125095612
-
MALAYSIAKINI.COM
4:07pm Tue Nov 26th, 2002
Keep incinerator away from SemenyiH
Amir Hisham Hashim
I am writing as a concerned member of public who lives in the Semenyih area. It was announced last week that the authorities will move the mega-incinerator to Semenyih from Kg Bohol near Puchong. I was very surprised that a new site was named almost immediately, even without an apparent show of thought.
Semenyih is one of the last few places in the state where the natural green environment still exists. Just because it is perceived as an area where the residents are less educated (ergo, would not offer any resistance to this project), it does not mean that it is a suitable site environmentally.
According the Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, Nottingham University is setting up their main campus there and this may lead to further development in an area which offers fantastic potential for growth. Any incinerator project would cause the development in an already backward area to grind to a halt.
I believe this relocation presents further threats to our health as the new site is very close to Sungai Semenyih which supplies water to the Jenderam water treatment plant. Toxics like dioxin which cannot be fully eliminated by the plant can seep into the ground and affect the water. Once this gets into the water system, the effects will be disastrous for the public who consume water from Jenderam which supplies areas in southern Selangor. This number can run into the hundreds of thousands and not only affect the 4,000-odd people in the Semenyih area.
Apart from my family, I would also be very worried for our civil servants and policymakers in Putrajaya who consume water from Jenderam.
If the authorities are still adamant about incinerators, a more realistic option would be to build smaller ones away from water catchment areas.
It is high time that we resolved this and many other environmental issues in this country with a higher degree of thought.
Further, Semenyih should be developed as due. After all, it is a satellite of KL, as close to it as Shah Alam is.
SOURCE:
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/200211260033563.php
-
MALAYSIAKINI.COM
10:19am Tue Nov 26th, 2002
State rep douses concerns,
claims relocated incinerator project safe
Claudia Theophilus
The new site for the controversial RM1.5 billion incinerator which has been
relocated from Kampung Bohol, Puchong, is a 'cowboy' town 10km from Semenyih
and 40km south of Kuala Lumpur.
As far as first impressions go, Broga is quiet and peaceful with fresh air
and greenery surrounded by hillocks and forest reserves which form part of
the water catchment network around the Semenyih Dam.
The dam is a storage facility mainly for supplying water to the Klang
Valley.
Last week, Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting confirmed the
Cabinet decision to relocate the plant - with a lifespan of 20 years - to
Broga.
This was prompted by the intense pressure from residents in and around
Puchong.
But now there are concerns as to the possibility of dioxin contamination in
the water reservoir or ground water.
Dioxin is the main toxic emission from incinerators or any combustion
process and a known cancer-causing agent.
Studies show that there are approximately 200 known forms of dioxin.
Since Ong's announcement, there have been concerns whether it is possible
for dioxin contamination to occur through rainwater in the catchment area
around the dam.
Minimal risk
Echoing the opinion of technical experts in the panel advising the federal
government previously, Beranang state assemblyperson Ahamad Kuris Mohd Nor
said today that whatever emission released would be way below international
standards and thus, negligible.
Experts claim the proposed plant has a one percent emission rate.
"Based on the briefing by Worldwide (Sita Environmental Management Sdn Bhd),
the proposed plant does not pose any danger to residents or the environment
because it uses the latest technology," he said when contacted..
"Anyway, the Cabinet has already made its decision and as a Barisan Nasional
elected representative, I have to agree with it," he added.
Asked if he was concerned about the health risks posed by the incinerator,
he said there was nothing to worry about.
"The dam is about 15 to 20km away from the proposed site," he said, adding
that other developed countries all have incinerators and that it was "just
our culture not to be open to such a technology".
He also said that the proposed 20ha plant, was sited on a 120ha land which
belongs to the Selangor Economic Development Corporation, the state
investment arm.
Worldwide, which manages the Puchong sanitary landfill, is jointly in charge
of the RM1.5 billion proposed plant using the latest Japanese technology
together with the SEDC.
Ahamad said the earmarked area for the proposed plant was between Broga and
Taman Tasik Semenyih, a small housing estate with half-abandoned bungalow
units about 4km from Semenyih.
"At the moment, less than 3,000 people live in the area but there will be
more in five years' time when projects like the Nottingham University campus
is completed.
"I have also set up a committee comprising political party representatives
and non-governmental organisations to communicate our wishes to the state
government, such as an improved infrastructure," he said.
The Selangor side, which is where the proposed 1,500-tonne capacity thermal
incinerator is sited, comes under the Beranang state seat held by Ahamad of
Umno.
Laidback town
A visit to Broga by malaysiakini last week revealed a laidback town with
only one traffic light, a police station, a Chinese and a Tamil primary
school. There were no government or private clinics and no post office.
In fact, the only bus service by Foh Hup Omnibus Co Bhd, was terminated in
April when the company went bust.
Since then, residents have to either find alternate transport or fork out
RM20 for the 8km-taxi ride to the main Semenyih road, where they will be
able to catch a bus to town.
Locals said they were having a tough time settling utility bills and
attending to other matters as the nearest post office was in Lenggeng, 7km
away or in Seremban (34km).
Broga sits on the border of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, more of it in the
latter. The main local commercial activity is rubber tapping and there is
also a commercial-size Thai chicken farm.
SOURCE:
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/200211260018348.php
-
malaysiakini.com
3:15pm Wed Nov 27th, 2002
No consultation is the BN way
Hashim Abdullah
I was shocked to learn about the relocation of the incinerator from Puchong to Broga after several months of media blackout, except for a few.
What shocked me was not the willingness of the government to bow down to the residents’ protests but its speed in making decisions that concern peoples lives.
Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting said that they have found a new place, with a dense forest near Semenyih. Probably somebody pointed it out to the minister and said, “Look, forest only”.
No consultation from the people living nearby and no request for experts to study the area.
What sort of leaders do we have? I cannot imagine how they operate and make such important decisions based on speculation, hearsay from colleagues and sweet talk from cronies.
Woe to the people who live in Semenyih and those who use ground water from there.
The rakyat have to bear the brunt due to our incompetent leaders.
SOURCE:
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/200211270033570.php
-
MALAYSIAKINI.COM
11:23am Wed Nov 27th, 2002
British U's local campus project in limbo due to incinerator
Claudia Theophilus
The relocation of the controversial RM1.5 billion thermal incinerator to
Broga has raised the concern of the University of Nottingham in Malaysia
whose new campus will be built there.
The university's fourth campus - and its first outside of the UK - is
located in the small 'cowboy' town straddling Selangor and Negeri Sembilan,
within an area named Mutiara Putra, about 4km from Semenyih.
The mega-incinerator has been planned for construction on state-owned land
about 5km from Semenyih, along the way to Broga.
The university intends to meet with the Selangor government and other
relevant authorities to get a clearer picture of the implications of the
1,500-tonne capacity 20-ha plant on the surrounding area.
The decision to relocate the plant from Kampung Bohol, Puchong, was made
last week in response to mounting public pressure including threats of a
ballot swing against the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional, which controls
five of the six surrounding constituencies.
Rationale unknown
The university's central administration director Paul Boardman, when
contacted yesterday, said they were trying to seek a meeting with the
relevant authorities as soon as possible since they were unsure of the
implications.
"We haven't had any time to digest the recent developments. It is a very
disturbing development.
"Obviously, with an incinerator of this kind, we need to know the
implications of not just the smell but also concerns over suspended
particulates and dioxin emission," he said.
"From what we've read in the newspapers, the Japanese technology seems clean
but then, there is no information about the technical side of it."
Boardman said other concerns include potentially-disruptive downstream
activities such as the movement of garbage trucks and the loss of a serene
environment.
"The situation is of great concern to us and we are discussing the matter as
well as seeking some legal advice," he said.
"At this stage, we want to understand the technology used and the rationale
for relocating the incinerator to Broga."
An estimated 4,000 people live in Broga and the surrounding villages where
rubber-tapping is the main commercial activity.
There are several housing areas along the Semenyih-Broga road, including
Taman Tasik Semenyih, comprising bungalow units and shoplots. Almost half of
them are vacant.
Further delay
The Chinese community live in a new village hidden behind Broga town in
neatly-arranged rows of wooden and 'batu blok' houses while the small Indian
population can mostly be found in the surrounding estates, some of which
have been sold to developers.
Locals also say there are about 70 Orang Asli living in another village
behind the town, which has two primary vernacular schools nearby with about
200 and 300 Chinese and Indian pupils respectively.
In January this year, the ground-breaking ceremony for the campus building
was officiated by Defence Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who had also graduated
from UK's University of Nottingham.
The campus, to be built on a 40-ha site, is scheduled to open in September
2005 and can take in 2,500 students for 18 graduate and post-graduate
courses in business, engineering and computer science.
The construction of the first phase, which was scheduled for completion in
December 2004, reportedly costs RM60 million. At present the university's
temporary campus is located in Kuala Lumpur.
The campus is a joint venture project between UK's University of Nottingham,
Boustead Holdings Berhad, a subsidiary of the Armed Forces Superannuation
Fund (LTAT), and YTL Corporation Bhd.
SOURCE:
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/200211270018365.php
-
Shocking!
US exports 9/11 debris to India,
Japan exports rubbish to China.
NEW STRAITS TIMES
Friday, November 29, 2002
Letters
Better to recycle than depend on incinerators
WE regret that we put down our signatures in the campaign to oppose the construction of an incinerator in Puchong.
Newspapers have shown the "happy" faces of the chairman and committee members of the group who won the struggle against the construction of the incinerator in their area.
The incinerator, which was initially planned at Kampung Bohol, off Batu 7, Jalan Puchong, will now be built in Broga, near Semenyih.
The reason for the move is because Puchong is a residential area with a large population. But do you think nobody is living in Semenyih? Semenyih may have a smaller population than Kampung Bohol, but there are still many people in that area.
Why must the people in the small town accept such a nuisance and danger although most of the rubbish would be coming from Kuala Lumpur? Do you know that major developed countries are sending their rubbish to developing countries? After the Sept 11, 2001 incident in the United States, the huge heap of rubble of the World Trade Center was sent to India because no town in the United States wanted to accept such a huge amount of rubble. Now environmental organisations in India are refusing to accept it and the big heap of rubble in India is just left untouched.
Japan, the biggest rubbish producer in Asia, is also sending its rubbish to China as no town in Japan wants to accept it. Other developed countries are also trying to pass their rubbish to less developed countries.
Malaysia is not a developing country any more. Malaysian industries, supported by high technology, are well developed. What we have to do now is not just get rid of the problem in our area but seek a solution.
Recycling should not only be required of consumers but also of companies which make big profits by selling products.
For example, bottles in European countries are recycled by the manufacturers. A number of supermarkets in the United States and European countries will refund small amounts of money to customers who do not use plastic bags and bring their own bags.
In Japan, collecting old electrical appliances for recycling is a duty required of companies under a new recycling law. There are many ways to reduce our rubbish without depending on incinerators.
SITI AMINAH MINAKO ABDULLAH,
MICHIKO OKUTSU,
HARUKO TABUCHI
Kuala Lumpur
SOURCE:
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/N...84749/Article/
Last edited by jeffooi; 29-11-2002 at 03:55 PM.
-
NEW STRAITS TIMES
Tuesday, December 3, 2002
Official: Dioxins from Broga waste treatment plant
will be within safe limits
Sheridan Mahavera
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2: The thermal waste treatment plant to be built in Broga near the Selangor-Negri Sembilan border will be 2.5km from the nearest residential area.
Giving an assurance that the controversial project was safe, Local Government Department directorgeneral Datuk Mohamad Saib said dioxin emissions would be within internationally-accepted limits.
The plant, originally to be sited in Kampung Bohol, Puchong, met with protest from residents before the Cabinet decided on Nov 21 to relocate it to Broga, a move which sparked a fresh round of protests.
This is the country's first thermal treatment plant. The RM1.5 billion plant will serve south Kuala Lumpur which generates 1,200 tonnes of garbage a day, and where the landfills are overflowing.
A 265-hectare site has been identified but the exact location will be determined after an Environmental Impact Assessment by the Department of Environment.
Mohamad said the "fluidised bed gasification and ash melting" plant would emit 0.1 nanogrammes of dioxin per cubic metre of emissions, which is the international standard for acceptable dioxin emissions.[
Dioxin is a toxic substance produced from the burning of materials.
Waste disposal will be in two processes. It will first be burnt at a temperature of 400 to 600 degrees Celsius, producing gases and ash. Tin, metals and glass separated at this stage can be recycled.
The gas and ash will then be further burned in a furnace at 1,200 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, most of the ash and material left over from the first process will be melted.
"Most of the dioxins will be destroyed. The leftover will only amount to 0.1 nanogrammes per cubic metre of emissions," Mohamad said in an interview.
Heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury will be trapped in slag (treated waste material) which can be used as building blocks for roads.
Mohamad said heat generated in the plant could also be used to generate electricity, which could be sold to Tenaga Nasional Berhad, or even "given" to the Broga community in the form of power for street lights along the Broga-Semenyih road.
"Since this is the first time that we are building treatment plants, we want to go with the best.
"This technology is state of the art," said Mohamad, adding that the plants were widely used in Japan.
The site, north of the Broga-Semenyih road, is 12km from Kajang, 10km from Semenyih and 5km from Broga.
The nearest residential area is the Taman Tasik Semenyih housing estate.
The surrounding areas include oil palm plantations, a timber mill, chicken breeding farms and nurseries.
A New Straits Times survey in Broga found that many residents in Kampung Broga and the housing estate nearby were in the dark about the plant.
A shopkeeper in Taman Tasik Semenyih, who did not want to be identified, said she was worried that ash and the stench from garbage trucks would pollute the area and cause hygiene problems.
"I have heard about it, but I do not know its exact location. I hope the authorities will consider building it elsewhere." Avian Farms general manager Rettichai Phanwanee, however, said he did not think the plant would have an adverse impact if it was properly managed.
A resident of Kampung Broga, who did not want to be identified, said even if the villagers did not like it, "I don't think they can do anything".
Mohamad said the Selangor Government would meet Kampung Broga residents soon to explain about the plant.
"The Government is sensitive to the concerns of the community, but we are running out of time.
"We will close the Puchong landfill in 2004 and we need to do something about the waste." Mohamad said about 350 trucks a day would transport waste to the site.
He said the site would also house another proposed thermal treatment plant to treat solid waste from south Selangor, and a landfill for slag and other waste which could not be treated.
"We are also looking into building a recycling centre in the site. We are thinking of making the site a centralised waste treatment system."
SOURCE:
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/N...74949/Article/
-
NEW STRAITS TIMES
Wednesday, November 4, 2002
Letters
Broga, Semenyih also a water catchment area
I REFER to the relocation of the waste incinerator from Puchong to Broga, Semenyih.
I strongly support C.K. Cheong's and S.K. Tee's "Broga residents too oppose it" and "No cause for happiness" (NST, Dec 2).
Talking to some residents in Taman Tasik Semenyih and Broga shows they feel the same way. The people in Broga and Semenyih are simple people; they choose not to live in the city or near it simply because they like the unspoiled environment there, even though develop-ment is at a slow pace.
Some abandoned their busy life-style in Kuala Lumpur and relocated to Semenyih, Rinching, Broga and surrounding areas to be close to nature.
The reasons to relocate the incinerator to Broga are lame. Why do Puchong residents get preference? As claimed by the Minister of Housing and Local Government, it is safe to operate anywhere. In that case, why not relocate it to the proximity of the Petronas Twin Towers? One can imagine the problems caused by the dump trucks plying in the area. Can the minister give an assurance that the odour will not affect our health? We also wish to highlight that Semenyih is the water catchment area for part of the Klang Valley. So there is a danger that the quality of city water may be affected.
T.H.T.
Semenyih
SOURCE:
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/N...83333/Article/
-
BERNAMA.COM
December 29 , 2002 20:17PM
Broga Residents Oppose Incinerator In Their Area
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 (Bernama) -- Like their counterparts in Kampung Bohol, the residents of Broga are also against move by the authorities to build a rubbish incinerator in their area.
Over 2,000 residents Sunday held a peaceful demonstration at Taman Tasik Semenyih.
They hoped that the government would consider the interest of the younger generation who would be growing up amidst a polluted environment, chairman of the residents' action group Halil Hussain told reporters.
He said they would send hand a memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo on the matter.
The project, costing RM1.5 billion, was initially planned for Kampung Bohol, Puchong but resited to Broga following opposition from the residents.
The incinerator could dispose 2,400 tonnes of rubbish per day from the Klang Valley. -- BERNAMA
SOURCE:
http://www.bernama.com/B2002/news.sh...eral/ge2912_28
-
THE STAR
Monday, December 30, 2002
Dissenting voices loom over Broga project
By ZANI SALLEH
...Halil Hussain, chairman of the ad-hoc action committee against the incinerator, said the committee had collected almost 20,000 signatures in a series of campaigns since they failed to get a response from the Mentri Besar’s office[ asking for verification on the project on Nov 22.
“I believe no one is willing to live next to it,” he said.
The committee highlighted various aspects including traffic congestion, environment and health problems in their protest.
Halil said initial checks showed that the project was earlier proposed in the vicinity of Air Hitam forest reserve in Puchong but Broga was chosen instead to be the country’s dumpsite where an estimated 4,200 tonnes of rubbish would be processed.
Earlier, several opposition members were asked to leave the venue where the people gathered.
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok with several DAP officials and a crowd of PAS supporters continued their protest against the Federal Government project along the road near Taman Tasik Semenyih.
FULL STORY:
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story...oga&sec=nation
-
NEW STRAITS TIMES
Monday, December 30, 2002
Residents oppose incinerator relocation
SEMENYIH, Dec 29: Broga residents formally made it clear today that they do not want the Government to relocate a waste incinerator from Puchong to their area.
Protesters, who have formed the Construction of the Semenyih-Broga Incinerator Action Group, are banking on a precedent — the Government heeded the appeal of Puchong residents.
"The Government should not hesitate to do the same for Broga residents," group chairman Halil Hussain said at an environment awareness campaign organised by the action body today.
Halil, who is also a lecturer with Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten), nevertheless said residents were not blindly opposing the incinerator's relocation but wanted smaller sized ones scattered in various strategic locations instead of concentrating on one area.
"The people are still very sceptical of the incinerator technology besides its safety and cleanliness," he said.
Halil said residents are complaining that no government representative had explained about the project to the people.
...In a separate event, Kajang State Assemblyman Dr Shafie Abu Bakar (Opposition - PAS) also gathered signatures from Kampung Pasar Baru residents to protest against the project.
FULL STORY:
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/N...74700/Article/
-
UTUSAN ONLINE
Friday, January 10, 2003
Suhakam to mediate Broga incinerator issue
KUALA LUMPUR Jan 9 - The Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) will arrange for a dialogue between Broga residents in Selangor and the authorities to solve the issue over the construction of a incinerator.
Suhakam Commissioner Datuk Prof Dr Hamdan Adnan who chaired the commission's complaints and investigations working group said a dialogue was needed to get a better understanding regarding the project.
"The residents need to get the correct information about the incinerator so they will not fear or worry, because they think it will affect their health and right to live in a safe environment," he said during the memorandum presentation ceremony between the residents' representative and Suhakam's Complaints and Investigations Division Head Mohd Nasir Abdul Hadi.
Hamdan said the dialogue was important because until now the residents are unaware of the advantages and disadvantges of the incinerator.
Suhakam would try to organise the dialogue next month.
...Meanwhile, the Incinerator Construction Action Group Chairman, Halil Hussain in the memorandum, among others, asked Suhakam to propose to the government to hold a direct discussion and find a solution to the matter.
FULL STORY:
http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/cont...e&pg=fp_09.htm
-
MALAYSIAKINI.COM
8:05pm Wed Jan 15th, 2003
Broga incinerator not replacement for Puchong: MB
Claudia Theophilus
Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo (photo) today said Broga was not the 'dumping ground' for the controversial RM1.5 billion mega-incinerator which was initially proposed to be built in Kampung Bohol, Puchong.
Speaking after chairing the weekly state exco meeting in Sepang, he said this was because the Broga site had originally been earmarked, complete with preliminary Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) studies, some time ago.
"The plan to build an incinerator in Broga is not new because we had also planned two more in Rawang and Sabak Bernam, and the capacity would depend on the need for solid waste treatment in those areas," he told a news conference.
He added that the one in Rawang "would probably be as big as the one in Broga".
"We have almost completed the detailed EIA report and will proceed with the project (in Broga) soon."
The menteri besar was, however, unable to specify when the EIA was initiated or provide further details of the Broga incinerator.
Real reason
Speaking to reporters today, Mohd Khir, laying particular emphasis on the cabinet decision to relocate the proposed incinerator, claimed that the actual reason for re-siting was insufficient land in Puchong.
"We needed a landfill nearby in which to bury the ash produced in the burning process," he said.
"So, the actual reason behind the relocation is not due to public pressure in Puchong or claims of inherent dangers such as hazardous pollutants."
Yet on Nov 21, national news agency Bernama quoted Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting as saying that the relocation was due to protest from residents.
Several highly-placed ministry sources have also told malaysiakini that the decision was made after negotiations between the authorities and Puchong residents on a compromise failed.
More incinerators
A project brief prepared by the state government explains the reason for relocation as being due to the doubts and safety concerns raised by Puchong residents, conceding that the plant would be the first of its kind in the country.
"Broga also was not solely identified for the construction of solid waste treatment plants in Malaysia because the government has plans to build similar facilities in Penang and Cameron Highlands," stated the brief.
...However, details of the project as stated in the brief also raise more questions. For instance, it mentions that the buffer zone proposed for Broga is bigger than the one for Puchong, yet states somewhere else that both proposals had set aside 500m for the buffer zone.
FULL STORY:
http://202.157.182.164/news/200301150018903.php
-
MALAYSIAKINI.COM
2:38pm Fri Jan 17th, 2003
Broga residents propose compromise on mega-incinerator
Claudia Theophilus
The Selangor government today has been urged to reduce the size of the controversial RM1.5 billion mega-incinerator project to be sited in Broga and consider building smaller plants instead.
No Incinerator Semenyih/Broga protem committee chairperson Halil Hussain said the incinerator should be "re-sized and allocated fairly" all over Kuala Lumpur and Selangor based on the garbage output of each area.
"This presents a more equitable arrangement for all parties. After all, if it (incinerator) is indeed safe, it can be built anywhere," he said in a statement to malaysiakini.
The committee maintained that the proposed plant in Broga, backed by a RM2 billion Japanese soft loan, was "too big and has no data to prove that it is completely safe".
"We maintain the decision to have the proposed plant here was not properly thought of and presents a clear danger to us in Semenyih and thousands of other water consumers in southern Selangor who are dependent on supply from the Jenderam water treatment plant."
On Wednesday, Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo said the Broga incinerator was not a replacement to an earlier proposal in Puchong, but had already been on the drawing board for some time.
Last November, the Cabinet had to junk the plan in Puchong and relocate what is purportedly the world's largest thermal incinerator to Broga following protests from locals and after DAP raised the issue in parliament.
Others' garbage
The proposal fell foul of the locals in and around Broga, and about 2,000 of them turned out for a peaceful demonstration in Taman Tasik Semenyih on Dec 29 to protest against the project.
Responding to Mohd Khir's statement that incinerators were also planned in Rawang and Sabak Bernam, Halil said if that was the case, then the one proposed in Broga "should only be a small fraction of the proposed size because we don't produce as much waste as KL or Selangor".
"Why do we (our area) have to be responsible for two million people's garbage?"
Mohd Khir said Penang and Cameron Highlands have also been identified as incinerator sites. He also suggested that the state scraps the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies and save taxpayers' money.
"After all, the less documented lies, the better for all parties. Further, his (Mohd Khir) attempt at justifying the Puchong EIA to be fair was weak and does not warrant further comment from us."
An irate Halil also chided the menteri besar for suggesting that the incinerator would offer high technology research opportunity.
"We beg him not to treat the Malaysian public as idiots. That may have been believable 40 years ago, but in 2003?" he said.
Political fallout
"We, too, have researchers on our committee and we find it difficult to believe if someone would want to research this particular plant other than for the purpose of determining if the nearby residents are suffering from chemically-induced diseases."
Residents from Broga and its surrounding areas have refuted repeated accusations by local ruling party politicians that the opposition members were exploiting the situation by inciting them to protest.
Last Saturday, federal and state officials held a closed-door meeting with village heads to explain about the proposed incinerator.
Halil also cautioned Mohd Khir "of the political consequences for his state government if this project goes ahead".
"This option is still very open to us, unless the state government can present a better case to the people."
Meanwhile, DAP national publicity chief Ronnie Liu said the crux of the matter remains whether such incinerators are hazardous.
The DAP has been proposing an alternative, called materials recovery facilities (MRFs), to replace incinerators on grounds of safety and cost.
"Not only has the BN government yet to convince residents of the safety aspects, it has also failed to justify the exorbitant cost of incineration," he said in a statement today.
"Many experts have estimated that the cost of burning every tonne of rubbish could be as high as RM240 compared to only RM25 per tonne for the current landfill method."
SOURCE:
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/200301170018933.php
Posting Permissions
- You may not post new threads
- You may not post replies
- You may not post attachments
- You may not edit your posts
-
Forum Rules
Moderator
Reply With Quote