MPs to debate Sabah coal power issue

KUALA LUMPUR: Parliament Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia has agreed to set aside 30 minutes for MPs from both sides to debate the coal-fired power plant issue in Sabah.He decided on the debate when a delegation from Green SURF, a Sabah-based coalition of environmental groups, met him in his chambers on June 15 to request for time for the debate.

However, the issue was only expected to be raised after the debate on the 10th Malaysia Plan has ended.

Pandikar also advised Green SURF to continue pushing its case through the relevant government channels, emphasizing facts and figures and avoiding politics in their arguments.

Green SURF also handed over a memorandum to the federal government to explain why the proposed coal-fired power plant in Lahad Datu should be scrapped.

The memo, which contained studies on energy options and the overall scenario of Sabah energy situation, was handed over to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz at the Parliament lobby on Tuesday.

In a statement yesterday, Sabah Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) president Wong Tack urged Sabahans to keep expressing their rejection of the coal-fired power plant to the Prime Minister and government.

“A number of MPs from both sides of the divide were with us yesterday. It was good that Sabah MPs too were supportive of our decision to go to Parliament to get our voices heard,” he said.

He said a copy of the memorandum was also passed to Natural Resource and Environment Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas who has promised that the government will be transparent with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.

“The minister assured us that there will be public participation in the EIA, and that all this will be done to safeguard the beautiful environment that Sabah has.”

Meanwhile, Green SURF also managed to hold a meeting with Penjanabebas, a consortium of independent power producers (IPPs).

Wong said in the meeting held in Kuala Lumpur the same day, the IPPs were sympathetic and recognised that plans to build a 300 MW plant at an eco sensitive area was financially and environmentally impossible.

“They feel that such a project will lead to a long term financial burden on the state.

“They are also very supportive of green energy plans and are willing to come to Sabah to invest in this,” he said, adding that the IPPs would play a role in bringing palm oil millers and state leaders together to facilitate green energy development and to use the Green Technology Fund.

Wong added that Sabah MPs who have clearly expressed their stand against coal plant included  Datuk Ghapur Salleh,Datuk Chong Ket Wah, Datuk Chua Soon Bui Datuk Marcus Mojigoh, Datuk Bong Mokhtar, Datuk Liew Vui Keong, and Hiew King Chew.

Green SURF coalition consists of Sepa, Land Empowerment Animals People (LEAP), Malaysia Nature Society (Sabah branch), Partners of Community Organisations (Pacos) and WWF-Malaysia.