MELAKA: The Melaka government has urged the Housing and Local Government Ministry to expedite approvals for the long-delayed waste-to-energy (WTE) plant in Sungai Udang, which has been stalled for over three years.
State housing, local government, drainage, climate change and disaster management committee chairman Datuk Rais Yasin said all state-level matters, including land issues and coordination with local authorities, have already been resolved.
However, he said, the project remains delayed at the federal level due to pending decisions on budget allocation and tender processes.
“We’re still waiting for a clear sign from the ministry, such as a ground-breaking date. I will continue pushing to get this project moving,” he told reporters at the Sungai Udang constituency’s Hari Raya open house yesterday.
Rais said the WTE plant, located at the Sungai Udang Sanitary Solid Waste Landfill, is expected to begin construction by June 2024 and reach completion by 2028, as previously stated by the ministry.
On Friday, Melaka Governor Tun Mohd Ali Rustam urged both the state and federal governments to act swiftly, warning that further delays could exacerbate conditions at the landfill and heighten public concern.
In addition to the WTE project, Rais said a new landfill cell is being planned at the site to support future solid waste management needs, Bernama reported.
The project received federal funding and is undergoing an environmental impact assessment, he added.
The Sungai Udang state assembly coordinator also said that the plans to develop a dedicated disposal site at the same location for construction, commercial, industrial and institutional waste.
“These initiatives aim to extend the lifespan of Melaka’s sole solid waste facility,” he noted.
Earlier, Rais said the constituency’s Raya open house at the Sungai Udang Agricultural Technology Complex drew around 10,000 visitors.
