Dear Prime Minister Sir,

On behalf of the Sandakan Anti Coal-Fired Power Plant Action Committee which represents 31 NGOs and the communities in Sandakan, we wish to express our heartfelt congratulations and felicitations to YAB Dato Seri on your appointment as the sixth prime minister of Malaysia.

We extend our best wishes for the continued success, peace and prosperity of the nation under your able leadership. We are also deeply heartened by your new vision for Malaysia - ‘1Malaysia'.

One very encouraging breakthrough in your new cabinet lineup is your creation of a new Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry. We hope this is a clear recognition by the federal government that in formulating energy policies, green and environmentally-friendly technology will be given preference and priority.

We write to seek your esteemed understanding on the serious predicament that we are facing as a result of Tenaga Nasional Berhad's proposal to set up a coal-fired power plant in Sandakan.

In 2008, the Barisan Nasional Sabah state cabinet had boldly rejected the proposed plan to build a coal-fired power plant in Silam, Lahad Datu, Sabah.

On April 2, 2008, speaking on behalf of the entire state cabinet, Chief Minister Musa Aman was reported to have said:

‘After weighing the pros and cons, the cabinet decided to scrap the proposed project, because we do not want to risk the welfare and health of the communities in the area (in Lahad Datu) as well as any adverse impact on the environment [...] I know some say with today's technology, the proposed plant is safe and clean but some experts also disagree.'

The rejection was made without even waiting for any ‘Environmental Impact Assessment Report' to be referred to. This was definitely a correct decision because it is a proven and well- known fact that coal burning, even with the best technology available at present, would cause harmful effects to the environment.

This not only due to the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere but also due to the release of toxic substances such as mercury, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, arsenic and so on. These toxic substances could cause fatal diseases such as cancer, heart attack, asthma and birth defects.

It is an irrefutable fact that coal-burning is the dirtiest fossil fuel and a major contributing factor to global warming and climate change.

Despite that, in less than six months after rejecting that proposed coal-fired power plant in Lahad Datu, Tenaga Nasional Berhad and the Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (TNB/SESB) proposed to build the same coal-fired power plant in a bigger, more densely populated town - Sandakan, the second largest town in Sabah.

The proposed location of the coal-fired power plant near Seguntor is in close proximity (5km) with the town's Sports Complex, and within a 10km radius of at least two-thirds of Sandakan's residents areas.

Not to mention the world-famous Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center at Sepilok and the Sepilok virgin jungle forest reserve which is now just next door to the proposed location of the coal-fired power plant.

If the coal-fired power plant was deemed unsafe and its emissions detrimental to the wild animals of Danum Valley and the people living in Lahad Datu, we fail to see how it can be safe and healthy for the human beings and orang-utan living in Sandakan?

We expect the state government to be consistent on its stand to reject the coal-fired power plant regardless of where it is.

We cannot afford to risk the future of our younger generations with such potential threats as a coal-fired power plant at Seguntor, Sandakan. The voice of the majority of the Sandakan people can no longer be ignored and more than 30,000 signatures have been gathered to acknowledge the seriousness of the problem and the concern expressed by the local communities.

We hereby make this urgent call for YAB Dato Seri's attention and pray that through your able leadership and esteemed office, you will be able to put an immediate halt to TNB/SESB's wrong choice of energy source.

There are plenty of alternative, clean energy sources currently available which can be implemented in Sandakan. We humbly lay down some practical and workable considerations which include the following:

1. It has been made known publicly that a 700km under-sea cable will be built to transmit electricity from Bakum Dam to Peninsular Malaysia. At the same time, the said electricity will be sold to Brunei and Indonesia.

We humbly appeal for the said power to be channeled to Sabah. It is utterly illogical if our government chooses to sell our ‘clean energy' to Indonesia and on the other hand, decides to buy ‘dirty energy' (coal) to be used by the people of Sabah.

2. To complete the grid loop from Keningau/Ulu Padas and Tawau and expedite the approved 300MW gas power plant in Kimanis. This will greatly improve the state's power supply status and reduce disruption in the badly-affected regions.

Natural gas - of which Sabah is the producer and has in abundance - should be enjoyed by the people of Sabah at the same time.

We stress that we are not against development in Sandakan, nor are we against the building of any power plant. We support the government whole-heartedly and this has been proven by the fact that the people of Sandakan had given a 100% mandate to BN in the last general election held on March 8, 2008.

However, in such a predicament with no clear assurance on the status of the proposed coal-fired power plant from the government as of today, we fear that such inaction will only lead to mounting dissatisfaction and create uncertainties in future electoral decision.

We trust and pray YAB Dato Seri will see our predicament and through your able leadership will help find an answer to our desperate call for the rejection of the coal-fired power plant. We hope that the will of the Sandakan people will not be let down.

Help us save Sandakan.

The writer is chairperson. Sandakan Anti Coal-Fired Power Plant Action Committee.