Panel rejects gov't plan to visit incinerators overseas
Koh Jun LinPublished: Jan 12, 2014 4:00 PM | Updated: Jan 12, 2014 4:16 PM
The Kuala Lumpur Rejects Incinerator Action Committee (KTI) has opposed the government’s plans to bring Taman Beringin residents for an overseas trip to visit incinerators.
‘Taxpayer funds involved would be better spent on local solutions.’
The Kuala Lumpur Rejects Incinerator Action Committee (KTI) has opposed the government’s plans to bring Taman Beringin residents for an overseas trip to visit incinerators.
The committee’s chairperson, Isaiah Jacob, argued that the taxpayer funds involved would be better spent on sending all members of Parliament, the mayor of Kuala Lumpur, and National Solid Waste Management Department officers to visit the Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill.
“It is not very far. From Kuala Lumpur to there, it is about 50 kilometres (and) less than an hour’s journey.
“Why not they take that and go see Bukit Tagar, and look at how they are running the show there. This will help the Malaysian government to utilise the things that we already have,” he said at a press conference today.
He also questioned the federal government for pushing for the incinerator project in Taman Beringin, Kepong, instead of exploring alternative waste management strategies such as anaerobic digestion plants and zero-waste material recovery facilities.
Isaiah was responding to a Sinchew Daily report on Thursday that the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry will bring five to 10 Taman Beringin residents to visit an incinerator overseas and reassure them of its safety.
The report, quoting its minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan (right), also says local MP Dr Tan Seng Giaw is welcome to join the trip.
“They can ask any questions, we won’t stop them. They can ask about safety, quality of life, and they can see an incinerator’s operations for themselves,” he reportedly said.
The Kepong incinerator project, which KTI opposes, is expected to go on international tender this year. The proposed site is next to the Taman Beringin solid waste transfer station.
‘Cheaper, existing solution’
The coalition made of resident’s associations in Kuala Lumpur has advocated for Bukit Tagar as an alternative to the incinerator, arguing that it is an existing solution, is cheaper, and can meet Kuala Lumpur’s waste disposal needs for decades.
Meanwhile, Isaiah (left) has also lodged a police report this morning urging police to investigate the dealings between Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the solid waste transfer station’s operator Umpan Jaya Sdn Bhd.
Umpan Jaya had came into the public limelight last month when it abruptly ceased operations, forcing garbage collection contractors to dump its load along Middle Right Road 2 (MRR2) for several days.
The report points out that mayor Ahmad Phesal Talib has already acknowledged that Umpan Jaya had faced problems since DBKL appointed it to operate the station in 2011, but continued to use its services.
“The question raised by Kuala Lumpur residents is that why didn’t DBKL take action against the company Umpan Jaya, and waited until Umpan Jaya ceased operations without notice on Dec 21, 2013?
“KTI - along with the people of Kuala Lumpur - asks for the police’s cooperation to investigate this issue,” he stressed in the report.
The committee’s chairperson, Isaiah Jacob, argued that the taxpayer funds involved would be better spent on sending all members of Parliament, the mayor of Kuala Lumpur, and National Solid Waste Management Department officers to visit the Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill.
“It is not very far. From Kuala Lumpur to there, it is about 50 kilometres (and) less than an hour’s journey.
“Why not they take that and go see Bukit Tagar, and look at how they are running the show there. This will help the Malaysian government to utilise the things that we already have,” he said at a press conference today.
He also questioned the federal government for pushing for the incinerator project in Taman Beringin, Kepong, instead of exploring alternative waste management strategies such as anaerobic digestion plants and zero-waste material recovery facilities.
Isaiah was responding to a Sinchew Daily report on Thursday that the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry will bring five to 10 Taman Beringin residents to visit an incinerator overseas and reassure them of its safety.The report, quoting its minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan (right), also says local MP Dr Tan Seng Giaw is welcome to join the trip.
“They can ask any questions, we won’t stop them. They can ask about safety, quality of life, and they can see an incinerator’s operations for themselves,” he reportedly said.
The Kepong incinerator project, which KTI opposes, is expected to go on international tender this year. The proposed site is next to the Taman Beringin solid waste transfer station.
‘Cheaper, existing solution’
The coalition made of resident’s associations in Kuala Lumpur has advocated for Bukit Tagar as an alternative to the incinerator, arguing that it is an existing solution, is cheaper, and can meet Kuala Lumpur’s waste disposal needs for decades.
Meanwhile, Isaiah (left) has also lodged a police report this morning urging police to investigate the dealings between Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the solid waste transfer station’s operator Umpan Jaya Sdn Bhd.Umpan Jaya had came into the public limelight last month when it abruptly ceased operations, forcing garbage collection contractors to dump its load along Middle Right Road 2 (MRR2) for several days.
The report points out that mayor Ahmad Phesal Talib has already acknowledged that Umpan Jaya had faced problems since DBKL appointed it to operate the station in 2011, but continued to use its services.
“The question raised by Kuala Lumpur residents is that why didn’t DBKL take action against the company Umpan Jaya, and waited until Umpan Jaya ceased operations without notice on Dec 21, 2013?
“KTI - along with the people of Kuala Lumpur - asks for the police’s cooperation to investigate this issue,” he stressed in the report.
View Comments0