The public deserves to know about national policies and mega-projects because it is their basic right, and the government is wrong to deny them that right, said the Human Rights Commissiom of Malaysia (Suhakam) today.

Commissioner Prof Mohd Hamdan Adnan said this right entails full disclosure of information related to any development plans affecting the people.

"Being transparent is important because it will avoid confusion and frustration among the people as to what is happening around them," he told reporters after chairing a dialogue between residents opposing the Broga incinerator and government officials.

"After all, they have a right to air their views o­n changes affecting their well-being."

About 30 residents from Broga and surrounding areas turned up at the dialogue with government authorities organised by Suhakam. The meeting followed a Jan 9 memorandum appealing for the human rights watchdog's intervention to clear the confusion surrounding the controversial RM1.5 billion mega-incinerator.

Last November, the cabinet junked the plan to build what is purportedly the world's largest thermal waste treatment plant in Kampung Bohol, Puchong, following intense objection from locals and the opposition DAP in Parliament.

Meanwhile, the residents also complained that they were confused about the project due to contradictory statements in newspapers by Selangor officials, state assemblypersons and cabinet members o­n the EIA study and necessary procedures.

"Going by the news reports quoting Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, it seems as if the project will proceed before the EIA report is even completed," said Halil.

"We feel that the project has already been approved without proper planning and that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is o­nly a formality."

Guinea-pigs

He expressed exasperation over the lack of response from the authorities concerned to the letters and phone calls initiated by the residents committee requesting further information o­n the project.

"People deserve to know everything about the project. That's a more civilised manner of doing things in a developed country."

At that point, a resident interjected and said: "We are not children. We are taxpayers and we deserve to know everything about this project."

"Maybe we should probe into who is behind the project and why it is being pushed through so fast at all levels of government," suggested another resident.

Since the cabinet announced the relocation of the incinerator to Broga, top Selangor government officials and cabinet members have been publicly contradicting themselves o­n the status of the proposed project.

About 25 housing estates with a population of 80,000 are within a 5km radius of the earmarked area in Broga.

The proposed incinerator has a maximum capacity of treating 1,500 tonnes of solid municipal waste per day.

Japan, the funding source for the Broga incinerator under a government-to-government soft loan deal worth about RM2 billion, started a similar small-scale pilot project using the gasification and ash-melting two years ago.

Responding to the residents' concerns over potentially-hazardous emissions, Hamdan said full disclosure of technical and environmental information pertaining to the proposed project is crucial for public consumption.

"Otherwise, it seems as if Malaysians are being turned into guinea-pigs, especially since no o­ne has attempted to build an incinerator of this size anywhere else," he said.

Miserable response

He also assured the residents that Suhakam will try to arrange for a follow-up dialogue with the Housing and Local Government Ministry director-general.

Earlier, the situation turned a little tense when residents asked Selangor's local government division assistant director Ahmad Suhaidi to organise a talk for all residents and not to practise selective briefings for certain quarters.

"We have already planned to do that. In fact, right at this moment the implementation committee is in a meeting to hold a briefing for all residents," he responded.

"That is why I think it is unfair of you to accuse the state government of not doing anything to engage the people in the affected area."

Department of Environment evaluation director Aziz Rasol (left) also failed to answer residents' questions satisfactorily when asked whether it was right to declare a project safe even before the EIA was approved.

"I can o­nly speak o­n technical grounds based solely o­n the scientific and technical facts contained in the EIA report.

"As I said earlier, I haven't received any EIA report o­n the Broga project," he clarified, adding that emotional remarks will not be entertained.

Aziz, the officer in charge of the Kampung Bohol EIA report, advised residents to be o­n the lookout for newspaper advertisements announcing that the EIA report was out for public display and feedback.

"Please be prepared for the newspaper notice and since many among you have engineering background, I would like to urge you to provide as much technical and scientific input o­nce the EIA is out."