Opposition parties have joined local residents' efforts to oppose the proposed mega-incinerator plant in Broga through the Semenyih Declaration, a document outlining their grounds of objection.

The action committee of the Kajang state assembly office made the decision to start a signature campaign against the project during a meeting with DAP and Keadilan leaders o­n Dec 23.

When contacted today, Kajang state representative Dr Shafie Abu Bakar said the opposition coalition will maintain its protest against the RM1.5 billion project to build what is purportedly the world's largest thermal municipal waste incinerator.

"We started distributing posters and launched the signature campaign o­n Dec 29 in Sungai Long, and will continue doing so until the project is scrapped," said the PAS leader.

"Ours is a different campaign from the o­ne carried out by the residents because they are adamant about not wanting any form of political involvement, and we respect that," he explained.

Quoting a New Straits Times report o­n Dec 12, Shafie said the government's plan to start dumping rubbish in a landfill near the proposed incinerator site, pending the completion of its construction in 2007, will destroy and pollute the environment.

"Furthermore, the plant, sited o­n the foothill of the Main Range, will release toxins such as dioxin and plumbum. These will then flow into the surrounding Hulu Langat river network and endanger human and animal lives," he added.

Property devalued

The Semenyih Declaration argued that polluted rivers which feed into the water treatment plant, that supplies water to millions of households in the Klang Valley, will lead to chronic illnesses such as cancer, skin disease, infertility, miscarriage, premature birth, asthma and headaches.

Shafie also dismissed talk of an alternative route for the 350-500 garbage trucks expected to ply the main road leading to the incinerator plant as a red herring.

The Semenyih Declaration stated that the incinerator's construction will not o­nly have economic and social implications but also affect property value, turning Semenyih into 'Tong Sampah Selangor' (Selangor's Garbage Dump).

"In fact, several major housing and commercial developments have been shelved by this proposal," it said.

One of them is UK's Nottingham University which plans to build a Malaysian campus, its fourth campus but the first outside of the UK, scheduled for student intake in 2005.

The management of the university could o­nly respond that they are continuing to monitor the situation and cannot comment o­n their plans as yet.

Not feasible

Meanwhile, No Incinerator Semenyih/Broga pro tem committee chairperson Halil Hussain argued o­n technical grounds that the incinerator, funded by a RM2 billion Japanese soft loan, was not feasible.

Referring to claims that safety is ensured by the pollution control system, he said the problem lies in the size of the proposed incinerator, which will burn 10 times more garbage than a medium-sized plant.

"Has anyone done research o­n the effects of burning garbage of this magnitude?

"Even if the pollution control system keeps the toxins released per tonne at a low level, the effect of an increased tonnage will still be dangerous," he said in a statement.

Halil also questioned the type of backup systems available should the pollution control system break down completely and how it will affect the plant's operations.

"Is there a guarantee that the plant will stop all operations immediately? Or will it continue operating to avoid garbage piling high outside its gates or due to a possible financial penalty if the burn-rate drops?"

In addition, he wanted to know if there will be an independent body to supervise the operation and emissions.

"Having the pollution control system is good but it is akin to having an oxygen supply underwater and being there for 20 years. If the system malfunctions, we are dead," he warned.

Be accountable

He chided the authorities for failing to give "solid answers" o­n how exactly they plan to dispose of the highly-toxic flue ash.

Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo had merely said it will be dumped in a nearby landfill.

However, Halil countered that the proper disposal method of flue ash was close to the standard procedure for disposing nuclear waste, adding that the construction cost for a centralised plant was enormous due to high transportation costs.

"The government keeps citing other countries as examples of how safe incinerators are, but they are built o­nly after very careful consultation with scientists, environmentalists, economists and the local population - not overnight."

He said the government has to be more accountable and address these issues by answering the "very valid" posers presented by residents.

Despite peaceful but persistent protests from local residents, the Selangor government is pressing ahead with the project and is currently awaiting the detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report.