Rawang residents amp up efforts against TNB
Hashini Kavishtri K and Goh Seng ChingPublished: Jan 29, 2010 5:40 PM | Updated: Jan 30, 2010 10:28 AM
Since 2007, Rawang residents have been fruitlessly trying get the authorities’ ear regarding the potential dangers to their health - as well their fear over potential accidents - from a huge power transmission tower amidst their villages.
Rawang residents continue their protests against TNB's construction of high-tension power lines through their villages.
Since 2007, Rawang residents have been fruitlessly trying get the authorities’ ear regarding the potential dangers to their health - as well their fear over potential accidents - from a huge power transmission tower amidst their villages.
Their patience beginning to run out, they finally decided - yet again - to write a memorandum to the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water about the issue.
The state assemblyperson for Rawang, Gan Pei Nei, today submitted the memorandum on their behalf to one Roslan, representing the ministry’s energy department’s administrative secretary, in Putrajaya this morning.
Also present at the occasion were representatives from Kampung Melayu Batu 16, Kampung Sungai Terantang, Kampung Datuk Lee Kim Sai, Kampung Kenanga, Taman Bersatu also the committee members of SRJK (C) Sam Yoke.
The memorandum contained the residents’ concerns over the exposure to the dangers of electro-magnetic waves, which studies have shown could cause cancer, leukaemia among children, and infertility among women, as well as other safety issues.
Gan said that despite the 2009 Court of Appeal injunction forbidding Tenaga Nasional Bhd from continuing to erect high tension towers in their area, they had put up 275kw voltage tension power cables that had cut through a village, dividing into two.
“I want the minister (Peter Chin Fah Kui, Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water) to come down (to Rawang) and see the tower, to judge for himself the great danger to the resident’s safety that is at stake,” she said.
She also reaffirmed that the residents are not against TNB’s plans to upgrade the existing 33 kw power lines to 275 kw capacity, but urge the ministry to reconsider using the alternative route through less densely populated areas, or using underground cables already gazetted by the state government.
“We are not against this project. We just want TNB to use the alternative on offer,” Gan added.
“The government should prioritize the health and safety of the citizen before anything,” she said in line with Najib’s concept of One Malaysia - People First, Performance Now.
Approximately 100 houses and a few thousand affected residents have now formed a vigilante team to prevent TNB workers from continuing their work at the site.
A resident from Kampung Kenanga, Azman bin Mohd Noor said that his house is right in front of the tower and fears that it might collapse or short circuit.
“I am so scared that it might fall and wreck my house,” he said.
Villagers in Rawang have previously lost an appeal to prevent TNB from constructing power lines through the village of Kampung Sungai Terentang.
Their patience beginning to run out, they finally decided - yet again - to write a memorandum to the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water about the issue.
The state assemblyperson for Rawang, Gan Pei Nei, today submitted the memorandum on their behalf to one Roslan, representing the ministry’s energy department’s administrative secretary, in Putrajaya this morning.Also present at the occasion were representatives from Kampung Melayu Batu 16, Kampung Sungai Terantang, Kampung Datuk Lee Kim Sai, Kampung Kenanga, Taman Bersatu also the committee members of SRJK (C) Sam Yoke.
The memorandum contained the residents’ concerns over the exposure to the dangers of electro-magnetic waves, which studies have shown could cause cancer, leukaemia among children, and infertility among women, as well as other safety issues.
Gan said that despite the 2009 Court of Appeal injunction forbidding Tenaga Nasional Bhd from continuing to erect high tension towers in their area, they had put up 275kw voltage tension power cables that had cut through a village, dividing into two.
“I want the minister (Peter Chin Fah Kui, Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water) to come down (to Rawang) and see the tower, to judge for himself the great danger to the resident’s safety that is at stake,” she said.
She also reaffirmed that the residents are not against TNB’s plans to upgrade the existing 33 kw power lines to 275 kw capacity, but urge the ministry to reconsider using the alternative route through less densely populated areas, or using underground cables already gazetted by the state government.“We are not against this project. We just want TNB to use the alternative on offer,” Gan added.
“The government should prioritize the health and safety of the citizen before anything,” she said in line with Najib’s concept of One Malaysia - People First, Performance Now.
Approximately 100 houses and a few thousand affected residents have now formed a vigilante team to prevent TNB workers from continuing their work at the site.A resident from Kampung Kenanga, Azman bin Mohd Noor said that his house is right in front of the tower and fears that it might collapse or short circuit.
“I am so scared that it might fall and wreck my house,” he said.
Villagers in Rawang have previously lost an appeal to prevent TNB from constructing power lines through the village of Kampung Sungai Terentang.
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