Officials of Tokyo-based Ebara Corporation are expected to be quizzed about its receipt of some 300 million yen (RM10.3 million) in "black money" in 2001, according to a Daily Yomiuri Online report dated Sept 19.

The report, quoting an informed source, said the money allegedly came in through Ebara's sub-contractor in a recycling and garbage incinerator project in Chiba Prefecture.

Tokyo-based Ebara has reportedly referred to this as "expenses for regional measures".

Officials of the company were not immediately available to comment on the allegations.

In early July, the Malaysian Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting said the government was probing a series of allegations involving Ebara's business dealings in Japan's multi-billion dollar waste management sector.

This followed media reports in Japan alleging that Ebara, a major player in that country's incinerator industry, was in dire financial straits and had a bad track record due to negligent design and operations.

However, no information has been made available on the local probe to date.

Ebara has come under a barrage of criticism from international anti-incinerator activists, local residents and opposition parties since malaysiakini revealed that it had been awarded the contract to design and build the proposed incinerator in Broga.

Support for legal action

Meanwhile, the Broga/Semenyih No Incinerator pro-tem action committee is preparing its legal suit against the project proponents to stop implementation.

Committee member N Segeran said the grounds of the case would be decided once feedback on the EIA report is obtained from international incinerator and environmental experts.

The deadline for submission of written comments on the detailed EIA to the Department of Environment is Oct 14.

"We are trying our best right now. But we need all the help and support we can get from other residents associations and community groups in order to successfully stop the project. The health and environmental risks are just too high a price for us to pay," he said.

"About 600 residents from Taman Tasik Semenyih, Rinching and Broga have signed in support of legal action."

Ever since the proposed project was relocated to Broga last November, the pro-tem committee has lodged numerous police reports, filed countless complaints and exhausted all the official channels.

The committee even presented a comprehensive case to both government and opposition parliamentarians as well as the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia.

The government has maintained silence over their request for a dialogue on the project details, including its funding.

On Sept 12, Prime Minister and Finance Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, when tabling the Budget 2004 in Parliament, announced that RM1.5 billion would be needed to build the country's first modern incinerator.