I too am forced to reply Jack Douglas' letter, which 'enlightened' by the recent ad blitz, tried to simplify the risks involved in the use of incineration.

I do not think that these ads serve any purpose but as propaganda to pre-empt the results of yet-to-be-released environmental impact assessment. The government is just adding its mouth in assuring the public that the technology is 'quick', 'safe' and 'clean'. Are their claims valid? Are the rakyat, so simple that they would accept the marketing facts given by the contractor?

The rakyat, especially the affected residents of the controversial site located near the green hilly water catchment area, have been persistently providing facts of environmental pollution and health risks caused by this type of 'toxic factory' in the developed countries.

This so-called latest technology of gasification has not been proven as it is only being piloted in Japan in smaller scale. What is so proud in using a gigantic 1,500 tonnes capacity plant based on unproven technology that causes the rakyat miserable living?

Is it economically sound to recover the electricity from its huge investment cost of RM1.5 billion and high maintenance cost which has only 15 to 20 years of operations? The technology claims to recover the bottom ash for construction material. Why are we so naive as to ignore the fact that toxins contained in the bottom ash are permanent and will cause severe danger to the environment and humans? Many overseas experiences have proved drawbacks!

The ads keep comforting the rakyat that our rubbish problems will be solved with the incinerator. But incineration discouraged recycling, as nothing in it encourages waste reduction. I wonder if Douglas could see the value of any effort to educate the rakyat to reduce waste? I wonder why the government is spending taxpayers money on the ads feeding the rakyat with disputable and incorrect information.

With Wawasan 2020, Malaysia is moving onto achieve a developed country status. However, will our use of 'world class facilities' come at the expense of our health and quality of life? Malaysia Boleh?