Pengerang MP Azalina Othman has slammed parties for making an “unfair” comparison between the mega-petrochemical project in Pengerang and the one rejected by the Taiwanese government.

Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby, she said the Taiwanese oil and gas project is “similar, but the circumstances are different”.

Several protests have been mounted to date against the RM60 billion Petronas Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid) project, to convey concerns linked to the environmental, health and livelihood.

NONE Asked about a study cited by activists that the Taiwanese project would have reduced the life expectancy of those living close to the project, Azalina (centre in photo) said the claim is not based on “direct evidence”.

“Your life expectancy would be cut short even if you stand next to a smoker ... I believe what happened in Taiwan is different to what is happening in Malaysia,” she claimed.

“I cannot tell you how long you will live, but I can say that the rejection by the Taiwanese government of the oil and gas project had to do with endangered species.”

If oil and gas refineries can affect life expectancy, she said, then the people of Kerteh and Jurong - where oil refineries exist - should have been affected, but they have not.

“If it is fact (that oil and gas refineries cause harm) then people in the Middle East would die because they have a lot of oil and gas there, but the people of the Middle East kill each other,” she said.

NONE Azalina said this in response to issues raised during a press conference earlier today by a bus-load of Pengerang residents and NGO leaders of environmental protest group Himpunan Hijau.

They had made the four-hour journey to Parliament House to urge the prime minister to halt ongoing works on the petrochemical project until due consultation and procedures are completed.

Their representative Anis Afida Mohd Azli also should there should be consultation with the 20,000 villagers who have not been heard on the matter.

"Halt (work) temporarily, complete all procedures and hold a dialogue with residents to ensure that our rights are not pushed aside. Stop all work immediately," she told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

She said the residents had sent five memorandums to government agencies and the Johor menteri besar over the past year, but have not received a response.

“We held a dialogue on Sept 16 and invited the government but no one showed up,” she said, adding that no proper consultations had been held - just briefings, “where we could not state our views”.

NONE She lamented the loss of livelihood for the local fishermen due to the project, and noted that the new settlement allocated for residents of the 10 traditional villages would have no space for farming.

“The elderly should at their age be able to live of the fruits of their labour, but now they have to start new farms. But the new homes have no space for farming,” she said.

Urging Malaysians to join the Himpunan Hijau rally in Dataran Sungai Rengit on Sunday, she expressed concern over alleged “land grab”, involving 22,5000 acres.

“Why couldn't the project be done on state-owned land without affecting local residents?” she asked, calling also for an independent study on the project before it proceeds.

‘Where was the angry lobster before?’

Responding, Azalina said the location was selected precisely because it is on a busy shipping route.

“If you want to open a petrol station, you don't do it in the middle of the jungle, but by the road where cars are. The same thing applies here,” she said.

azlan She denied the absence of consultations, noting that all 700 people involved in the first phase of relocation from the project area had either agreed to move or agreed to conditions.

“No one objected to it. The compensation paid was not RM2.80 per square feet for all the land. Some (received) as high as RM8 per square feet.

“I believe that those who are getting millions (of ringgit) in compensation won't disclose it, as they'll be afraid PAS and Himpunan Hijau will ask for a donation,” she quipped.

The government, she said, has taken into account the livelihood of fishermen, with the agriculture and agribusiness ministry working with the fisherment to move them to open-water fishing and likely fish farming.

The Youth and Culture Ministry and Petronas, a stakeholder in the project, have upgraded the youth institute in Penawar to train those from Pengerang so they will be employable at the refinery.

“The first course will be on safety and security, and will start this year,” she said.

Azalina claimed that the issues have been politicised using “false allegations”.

She refuted the claim that the project would affect the habitat of the dugong, claiming that the species lives “on the other side, at Sebanar”.

NONE “It's not true (that it will effect the dugong). The area where the project is plied by ships in the hundreds. There are no dugongs there, otherwise there would be hundreds of dugongs hit by ships every month.

“If they are so concerned about the environment, where were they when there was an oil spill in Pengerang? The same fishermen were affected.

“Where was the (activists' mascot) angry lobster? The lobster is only angry (with the petrochemical plant), and not with oil spills? When there is an oil spill, the lobsters couldn't even lay eggs so why only fight for the lobsters now?

“The time to fight for lobsters was then, Now, it is only for the sake of maligning the BN government.”

PAS veep challenged to debate

Azalina challenged PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub, speculated to be Pakatan Rakyat's menteri besar in waiting for Johor, to a debate on the issue.

“I want to challenge him on this matter, and it can take place anywhere but his house or mine, or else we will be charged for khalwat (closed proximity).

NONE "Anyway, I'm still a virgin...It's not that I'm afraid, but I'm worried that he is,” she quipped.

In an immediate response, Salahuddin (left) said it would be "more relevant" for him to debate with Johor MB Abdul Ghani Othman, who has a say on land matters.

"If I get to debate the MB, then I am prepared to have it live on TV1, TV3 and Astro ..," he said.

"Let Azalina debate Anis Afida, the chairperson of the Penerang NGOs; a woman against a woman. Besides, Anis Afida has championed this matter."

VIDEO l 6.39 mins