About 70 residents from Batu Arang, Bandar Tasik Puteri and Bandar Seri Coalfields attended the hearing session at Shah Alam Convention Centre, Selangor on Feb 10. They protested against the development of waste-to-energy incinerator in their place after the session. - LEW GUAN XI/The Star
A PUBLIC hearing on the proposed incinerator in Batu Arang, Selangor was cancelled due to objections from stakeholders who attended.
Jaringan Rawang Tolak Insinerator (JRTI) spokesperson Abdul Hanan Abd Mokti claimed that there was a conflict of interest as the proposed chairman, Selangor local government and tourism committee chairman Datuk Ng Suee Lim, is also KDEB Waste Management chairman, one of the parties involved in the waste-to-energy incinerator project.
"Ng is not in an impartial position to chair the session.
Selangor local government and tourism committee chairman Datuk Ng Suee Lim. - LEW GUAN XI/The Star
"Hence, we asked him to recuse himself.
"We hope that there will be another session chaired by someone else.
"There are 18 other members in the Selangor Town and Country Planning Department who are eligible to chair the meeting," he told reporters at Shah Alam Convention Centre, where the session was due to be held.
In response, Ng said he respects the residents' concerns and will determine a new date for the next session soon.
"The next session will likely be chaired by Selangor infrastructure and agriculture committee chairman Datuk Izham Hashim or housing and culture committee chairman Datuk Borhan Aman Shah," he added.
Jaringan Rawang Tolak Insinerator spokesperson Abdul Hanan Abd Mokti. - LEW GUAN XI/The Star
Ng said that all the processes for holding the session had been duly followed as provided for under the Local Government Act 1976.
"Selangor is a transparent state, where we always listen to the residents' concerns," he added.
About 70 residents from Batu Arang, Bandar Tasik Puteri and Bandar Seri Coalfields had turned up for the session on Monday (Feb 10).
They later held up banners and posters protesting against the proposed incinerator.
