Time to save the Broga people
after saving the Bukit Cahaya agricultural park and Ulu Yam vegetable
farms
Media Statement
by Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew
(Petaling Jaya,
Wednesday): In an
article published in the Malay daily Berita Harian on Tuesday, 08
March, 2005, the author Salina Abdullah was very critical of the Selangor
state government for the very fact that the state alone has allowed three
major projects to be carried out in some valuable water catchement areas.
She has named the world’s
largest incinerator to be built in Broga/ Semenyih, the sanitary landfill in
Bukit Tagar near the Ulu Yam Dam, and the abattoir in Batang Berjuntai as
examples.
In our opinion, the pending
RM1.5 billion incinerator poses a bigger threat to the natural environment
than what has taken place at the Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam Agricultural Park.
The incinerator is like a gigantic cancer factory. It will inevitably emit
cancer-causing dioxins and other poisonous gases into the air, apart from
discharging highly toxic ashes which will contaminate the valuable water
resources.
The Broga people have
highlighted their plights to the Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers
after repeatedly stonewalled by the local government, the Minister of
Housing and Local Government and the Selangor Menteri Besar. They were even
forced to bring their case to the high courts to stop the project as a last
resort. The DAP has done our part by educating both Government and the
people on the potential dangers of the incinerators. Both the DAP and the
Broga residents have rightly pointed out clearly the importance of the
valuable Broga/Semenyih water catchment area as well as the potential risks
of the incinerator to the Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers in all
our memoranda.
Malaysia cannot afford to build
and maintain such a humongous incinerator both for the environmental and
economic factors. No one in the world has the experience to keep such a
costly and dangerous giant monster. But the Selangor MB and the Minister of
Housing and Local Government have chosen to listen to the truth. They will
not hesitate to proceed with the incinerator project unless and until the
Prime Minister puts his feet down on the matter.
The PM has gotten the support
of the people for what he has done for the Bukit Cahaya agricultural park
and the Ulu Yam vegetable farms. The DAP is now once again calling the PM to
look into the Broga project before the damage is done.
(9/3/2005)
* Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew,
DAP International Secretary and NGO bureau chief
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http://dapmalaysia.org