In a rare show of persistence, about 40 residents from Broga and Semenyih marched to Parliament and handed over a memorandum each to government and opposition MPs after two separate briefings.

A memorandum was also sent to Acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi this morning, together with the first batch of 10,000 signatures collected since December.

The pro tem committee presented its case against the RM1.5 billion mega-incinerator proposed in Broga which is touted as the world's largest. It is scheduled for completion in 2007.

Poor response

The Broga/Semenyih No Incinerator pro tem action committee briefed the MPs using a power point presentation complete with an analysis of the earmarked site, a 3-D projection clearly outlining the steep gradient and the potential damage to the Semenyih river basin.

The presentation ended with a slide-show of the residents and their families climbing the nearby Bukit Botak as part of their campaign activities over the past few months.

Five opposition MPs - Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Permatang Pauh), DAP MPs Teresa Kok (Seputeh), Tan Kok Wai (Cheras), Chong Eng (Bukit Mertajam) and PAS MP Husam Musa (Kubang Kerian) turned up for the briefings.

Only three from the Backbenchers Club (BBC), comprising MPs from the ruling Barisan Nasional without any ministerial portfolios, were present.

During the first session, the Broga committee handed a memorandum to Husam for all opposition MPs to sign.

Batu MP Ng Lip Yong, who chaired the second session at about 3pm, apologised for the absence of BBC president Mohd Zin Mohamed (BN-Shah Alam) citing short-notice and a prior engagement.

"I will certainly hand over this memorandum to the BBC exco for further consideration," he told the residents.

Special arrangement

Ng also expressed surprise that the committee and residents have not attended any briefing by the government to date. Several committee members complained that the government was being very selective.

"We have been told that all the briefings were closed door o­nes. In fact, during a briefing o­n March 22, we were chased out of the hall in Semenyih and told not to create trouble there," a committee member said.

Ng turned to Hulu Langat MP Badrul Hisham Abdul Aziz who refuted the claim, but agreed to arrange for a special briefing as soon as possible for the committee and the 80,000 residents that it represents.

Before rushing off for a meeting in Kajang, Badrul Hisham, who was visibly upset, said residents must also be willing to listen to the government's side o­n the project before opposing it.

When approached as he was leaving, he said: "I was o­nly told of this presentation at the last minute, otherwise I would have come prepared and explained to the residents what the government is trying to do.

"I have seen incinerators in Tokyo, Taiwan and will be going to Singapore soon. There is nothing wrong with these plants, they are clean and there is no emission as many people fear."

Evidence unearthed

Pro tem chairperson Halil Hussain said the residents decided to go to Parliament today because "it is the highest law-making body in the country".

"We have tried various channels to raise the matter and engage with the authorities through dialogues, but (this was) in vain because the government is being selective in briefing the rakyat."

He said the committee's research into the proposed project had unearthed evidence, including breach of laws and procedures, including the Selangor government's own policy prohibiting development in areas with a gradient over 25 degrees as reported in the media o­n March 3.

"The proposed site, as we found out, lies within an area marked as environmentally-sensitive by the state government, and we have the relevant books to prove these claims," he said.

"Furthermore, we wish to reiterate that our objective is to oppose any incinerator project in the country and we have relevant suggestions as alternatives."

Alternative idea

One committee member, Wong Yuen Mei, said despite all the official statements by Housing and Local Government Minister o­ng Ka Ting about following procedures, work has already begun at the site.

"We have spoken to the engineers, contractors and locals living around the area where a huge new bridge has been built. They told us it was for the incinerator and strong enough to bear the load of a 10-tonne truck."

Another committee member known as Tan explained that he did not want to get the Broga incinerator relocated elsewhere. He wanted the government to come up with a proper alternative to incineration.

Dr James Dawos Mamit, the MP for Mambong in Sarawak, related the state's experience in municipal solid waste management and said it was now building the region's best landfill "to complete our own recycling campaign".

"I have been involved with environmental issues for more than 20 years and I can tell you that the issue here is how to reduce the volume of landfill," he said.

"You all heard the minister (Ong) stating in Parliament the other day that if anyone else has a better alternative technology, they are welcome to see him about it. You should take him up o­n his offer. This is your chance because he has opened the door."