A Housing and Local Government Ministry briefing o­n the proposed mega-incinerator project in Broga today saw a heated exchange when government officials prevented residents from asking questions.

The session held at the Dewan Penghulu Semenyih began about 10.30am and proceeded smoothly until a resident stood up to ask some questions but was stonewalled by the organisers and the attendant VIPs.

This angered the 200-odd crowd who repeatedly asked for a question-and-answer session but were told to sit down and listen to the ministry's presentation first.

After the 20-minute presentation, the crowd began to jeer and some of them staged a walk-out when their request for the question-and-answer session was turned down again.

This infuriated Hulu Langat MP Badrul Hisham Abdul Aziz ( left ) who charged into the crowd looking for the person who had insisted o­n the session.

A group of officials from the People's Progressive Party (PPP), who were present at the event, had to restrain the MP as he chased the residents out of the hall shouting, "Shut up!", "Get lost!" and "Get out!".

Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister M Kayveas, who was also present, immediately went o­n stage and tried to calm the crowd

He also questioned them o­n the motive behind all the jeering and blamed it o­n outsiders.

Trouble-makers

"These are trouble-makers, a group of outsiders who incite others to oppose the incinerator project when the local residents themselves have no problems with our explanation and previous briefings," he told the crowd, adding that no question and answer session was included in the programme.

"This is supposed to be a briefing for PPP members and local residents o­nly but we decided to allow the public to enter. But what are your true intention of coming here?

"Why are you not even willing to listen to the government's side? You are all closed-minded and already have pre-conceived notions about the incinerator.

"Why don't you just listen first before objecting?" said Kayveas, who is also the president of PPP.

Meanwhile, Badrul Hisham continued his rampage and demanded to see Halil Hussain ( right ), the chairperson of the Broga/Semenyih No Incinerator pro tem action committee who was seated in the crowd.

"This is why I did not want to meet you people. Please behave like human beings and not like animals! Leave now if you are not interested in the government's side!" he yelled at the crowd.

After about 10 minutes of criticising the 'trouble-makers', Kayveas invited those with questions to go o­n stage and identify themselves by furnishing their names, addresses, identity card numbers and who they were representing.

When they refused to divulge their IC numbers, he said: "If you don't give us your details, I will not entertain you. Why should we? I am asking you for details so that we can address your concerns properly in writing."

This evoked another round of jeering from the floor when scores of unhappy residents insisted that Kayveas answer their questions there and then without conditions attached.

When those o­n stage, mostly members of the pro tem action committee, asked why their I/C numbers were necessary, the deputy minister said it was to ensure that they were local residents and not "outsiders out to create trouble".

"Why must they be afraid of giving their details? After all, they were the o­nes who insisted o­n transparency," he said.

However, Kayveas (right) walked away from the podium to hold a press conference when residents maintained their stand for an immediate reply.

Some of the residents present claimed they were told to attend the briefing as they would be given alternative housing since their homes were demolished for the incinerator project.

An elderly lady, her daughter and granddaughter, who appeared confused by the commotion, told malaysiakini that they had come thinking that they were going to get low-cost housing.

"I don't understand this. We were told that housing will be given today to those whose squatter homes had been demolished. That is why we rushed here but now we're seeing something else."

Police reports

Two reports were later lodged against Badrul Hisham at the Semenyih police station, o­ne by Halil and the other by a group of residents.

One of the reports, carrying about 30 signatures, also stated that residents were prevented from asking questions at a public forum.

Since the RM1.5 billion mega-incinerator was relocated to Broga from Kampung Bohol, Puchong, last November due to intense public pressure, the Broga committee has launched an aggressive campaign to raise concerns over public health, safety and environmental issues.

Upon realising that no response can be expected from the local elected representatives, and after being stonewalled by Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo in a subsequent meeting, the committee sought the intervention of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).

On Friday, the committee held a presentation for opposition MPs and the Backbenchers Club in Parliament house, with a memorandum for each group, as well as o­ne sent to Acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Also present at the briefing was Beranang state assemblyperson Ahmad Kuris Mohd Nor, Kajang Municipal Council president Mohd Yusop Mat Judin and Selangor PPP chairperson Pritpal Singh.