By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjong, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Sunday, 18th April 1993:
DAP welcome Ghafar’s statement that the Federal Government had not decided on the proposed Bukit Nanas RM 200 million central toxic waste treatment plant
DAP welcomes the statement by the Deputy Prime Minister, Ghafar Baba, yesterday that the Federal had not decided on the proposed RM 200 million central toxic waste treatment plant. He it could create problems for the residents there.
The comment by Ghafar that “Certainly, nobody wants such project in their backyards” will be greatly appreciated by the some 100,000 people in the Rasa parliamentary constituency who opposed the sitting of the proposed toxic waste plant in their midst as detrimental to their environment, health, life as well as livelihood.
However, clarification is needed from Ghafar Baba on the real status and position of the Federal Government, as the director-general of the Department of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the proposed RM$200 million central toxic waste treatmenet plant in Bukit Nanas, Negri Sembilan had been approved and its construction is expected to begin this year.
A MCA Minister had also subsequently said that the Cabinet had discussed the proposed Bukit Nanas central toxic waste treatment plant.
Does Ghafar Baba’s statement yesterday mean that the Department of Environment has been asked to review the approval it had given to the EIA report for the toxic waste plant and that Dr. Abu Bakar’s statement that construction for the Bukit Nanas plant would begin later this tear no longer holds?
In view of Ghafar’s statement, the Deputy Prime Minister should ensure that approval for the proposed Bukit Nanas central toxic waste treatment plant is not given either by the Federal or Negri Sembilan State Government until the local people affected by its sitting had given full voluntary consent to the project.
The people affected by the proposed Bukit Nanas central toxic waste treatment plant have a right to know why it could not be sited elsewhere – far away from human habitation.
As the local residents would be holding mass demonstration in Bukit Nanas on Sunday to register their protest against the toxic waste plant, Ghafar should also ensure that the Minister for Science, Technology and Environment, Datuk Law Hieng Ding, the DOE Director-General, as well as chief personnel of the three companies which had formed the consortium – Kualiti Alan Sdn. Bhd – to build and operate the toxic waste plant, should be present to give all necessary explanations about the people’s worries, doubts and fears.
The four MCA Ministers should also attend Sunday’s Bukit Nanas protest demonstration to show their full support and solidarity with the people in opposing the sitting of the toxic waste plant in their midst.