There is increasing disquiet surrounding Pakatan Rakyat’s ability to lead - effectively or otherwise. As some old timers would put it, as much as we disliked Barisan Nasional’s arrogance, it had the guts to push ahead and create a perception of leadership.

Apart from promises supposedly broken, the reality of having to make strong decisions is perhaps a pill too bitter to swallow for our swashbuckling superheroes of March 8. After the euphoria, symptoms of withdrawal have come only too quickly.

Could Sept 16 have been the lowest ebb of the post-March 8 history? We shall never know, unless our hero-in-chief tells.

While some will be quick to point out that fixation on a particular date ignores the movement of change our freedom fighters have initiated, Anwar Ibrahim’s concession that he’s fast becoming the underdog in the race to next March has all but put Malaysian hopes – new or old - on hold.

rawang high tension protest kl high court 250907 t shirt 'On hold' possibly best describes Pakatan-ruled Selangor at the moment. The federal Ministry of Energy, Water, and Communications, its minister Shaziman Abu Mansor and TNB would certainly agree.

A major power transmissions project, reportedly crucial to national interest, is still on hold and moving nowhere despite numerous calls for it to be completed.

Why the central area reinforcement (CAR) project has remained stalled after Selangor voted for change is something as mysterious as Sept 16.

Since only Anwar is allowed to comment on that date, let’s use the CAR as a vehicle to explore where the obstacles are on the road towards genuine change.

On the surface of the picture painted by TNB and Shaziman, the project cannot be completed because a small group of villagers in Kampung Sungai Terentang, Rawang, are opposed to being evicted from their homes to make way for transmission towers and high tension lines that will cut through the area.

Concerned about adverse effects

Over the last month, TNB, Shaziman, and deposed MB Dr Mohd Khir Toyo had stepped up concerted efforts to churn out repetitive statements in the mainstream press demanding that TNB be allowed to continue work to prevent the nation from “plunging into darkness”.

rawang anti high tension cable 030907 wire No mention, however, has been given to why Kampung Sungai Terentang residents are against having high tension electricity cables routed through their village.

These villagers have been repeatedly painted as uncooperative, selfish, insensitive to national interest and unwilling to move despite being offered very substantial amounts of compensation.

Concerned about the adverse effects of radiation from the high tension lines placed right above their homes and their children’s school, the villagers drew up an alternative route for the transmission project that will take it on a 7km detour through uninhabited land.

Sadly, their genuine efforts have been completely ignored.

First, TNB cited technical problems, and when their claims were disproved, an Umno assemblyperson created fear among Malay residents of Kampung Sungai Samak and Taman Tun Perak, spreading untruths that the alternative route proposed by Kampung Sungai Terentang’s Chinese villagers was to affect them instead.

selangor adun ceremony 220408 khir toyo Khir, by the way, is still taking it upon himself to ‘defend’ this supposed threat to the ethnic community he represents.

His latest statements on the issue have reiterated claims that the alternative route will affect residents in these areas.

When racial posturing, too, failed to make the state government bow to demands for the original route to be revived, TNB then complained that the cost of taking the alternative would be too high and that the state government should bear the cost of RM70 million if it insists on the 7km detour.

Where is the Selangor government in all this?

For starters, as Khir has claimed, the project cannot continue without Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim’s administration acquiring the land and gazetting it for the CAR purpose.

The new state government’s involvement in the wrangle started before they took power.

rawang high tension 270808 general map Rawang assemblyperson Gan Pei Nei and Selayang MP William Leong’s (both from Khalid’s PKR) organising of Kampung Sungai Terentang villagers brought their case to the courts (where it is still pending appeal), stood with them in protests against TNB’s inhumane decision to erect transmission towers through their village, promised them change during the election campaign, and in turn got elected.

The pressure is on Khalid

Now, it seems that all the pressure is on Khalid to make a decision on whether to allow TNB to proceed with its original plan of evicting villagers whose homes have to make way for construction of massive transmission towers, paying compensation and forcing others to live with radiation the rest of their lives.

How has he reacted? From the way things look now, especially his statements of late, Khalid is attempting to wash his hands clean the issue.

His non-committal replies to TNB and Shaziman take the position that he does not want to commit to any position - original or alternative.

This move may be politically wise, as it forces TNB into a corner. Khalid has said he will gazette all land required for the alternative route, and that it is up to them to either negotiate with Kampung Sungai Terentang, where TNB will surely meet a stalemate, or take the alternative route with costs.

khalid visit to kampung baru rawang 260708 02 Looking at Khalid’s smart move, I am reminded of a rousing speech he made to the people of Kampung Sungai Terentang on July 26.

That hot and humid morning, Khalid’s entourage, including state exco members, TNB engineers, and concerned villagers visited most parts of the proposed alternative route to study TNB’s technical objections.

Visiting Kampung Sungai Terentang thereafter, the MB was clearly shocked with the proximity of a transmission tower erected right behind SJK (C) San Yuk in the village.

Shaking his head, he also showed concern on where the other towers were to be placed because of the density of homes in the area.

If there is suspicion still that he wasn’t convinced of the gravity of the matter there and then, he then went on to address the crowd with one of his best speeches I’ve heard.

Gone were the nervousness and absentmindedness we saw when he first campaigned in Ijok. Instead, I saw a man speaking from his heart. But I digress.

khalid visit to kampung baru rawang 260708 03 In his speech, Khalid made it clear he will find a solution to the issue by looking at the problem from three levels.

Firstly, he promised any decision will consider the importance of national interest. He acknowledged the need for the project to be completed and said very sound minded things about having to work with TNB and the federal ministry.

On the second level and not less important than the first one, said Khalid, it would be necessary to take care of the people’s interest. Elaborating, he mentioned how it is not right for the rakyat to have to suffer and that the state will do its best to protect her people. Naturally, Kampung Sungai Terentang cheered loudest when they heard this.

At the third level and of least priority, he assured that political interest should not hamper either the development or the people’s interest.

Independent consultant

On how he would solve the issue, Khalid committed himself to finding an independent consultant, possibly a foreign one with no local interest that will evaluate the costs and technical aspects including public safety, on three options namely: the original route through Kampung Sungai Terentang, an alternative detour of 7km through uninhabited land and underground cabling.

rawang villager tnb demonstration 030907 children Findings of that study, Khalid then promised, will be published a month from July 26 for scrutiny. A decision on which option to take will only be made thereafter.

More than three months since his historic visit to Rawang, the report is nowhere to be seen. There is no more talk on this independent study, nor is there any talk of upholding national or the people’s interest.

Instead, in washing his hands clean, in not taking a position and in playing safe, he’s leaving the poor people of Kampung Sungai Terentang to face this alone all over again. It seems we are back at square one.

TNB, seizing the moment, has quickly claimed that the 7km alternative route would cost an extra RM70 million. Suspicion that this figure may not be genuine could be legitimate.

Consider this, the entire CAR project, which involves the laying of 60km of 275kV transmission lines from Bukit Tarek in Rawang to Kampung Chubadak in Sentul, would cost RM324 million. Perhaps TNB would like to cast some light on how an extra 7km would cost so much more?

rawang anti high tension cable walk 211007 crowd and tower The extra RM70 million, assuming it’s an accurate estimate, amounts to peanuts considering TNB’s revenue of RM23.3 billion in the year ended Aug 31, 2007. Of that, it made a profit after tax in excess of RM4 billion.

In a statement, Selayang MP William Leong claimed that “[…] a caring government should not put profits before the people. TNB professes to be a green company and is said to take pride in its corporate social responsibility such as the construction of the coal powered Stesen Janakuasa Sultan Azlan Shah to ensure that the plant does not emit harmful discharge to the environment.

rawang anti high tension cable 030907 speaker "Its Kapar Energy Ventures grounds have been converted into one of the main stops for migratory birds. TNB is also a major contributor to the preservation of the firefly colony in Kuala Selangor. TNB has spent RM1.4 billion for the financial year 2007 in such efforts.”

Surely such relatively minimal costs should not be in the way of a project deemed so crucial. Why then is TNB, together with Shaziman and Khir, insisting that the project cannot continue?

MB needs to move fast

Yesterday, TNB CEO Che Khalib Mohamad Noh issued another warning that the nation’s electricity supply is on the brink of snapping like an overstretched rubber band.

Whether the Selangor MB, himself a former CEO, chooses to view this as a genuine concern or a mere threat, the reality that he has to make a decision – and be prepared to stand by it – is something that should no longer escape his comprehension.

rawang anti high tension cable walk 211007 children Trapped between Khalid’s indecision and TNB’s inconsideration, the people of Kampung Sungai Terentang continue to soldier on with anxiety as they sleep under the shadow of the monstrous transmission tower in their village.

As things are now coming to a boil, one can only hope Khalid moves fast to prevent both catastrophic power outage and escalating public outrage. Obviously, he cannot afford to drag the matter on any longer.

Among other things, he has to now show whether the proposed alternative route is feasible, and why.

Also, he should come out to disclose how the original route was allowed to be drawn through such densely populated areas when there exists, clearly, ample empty land to use. Was any private interest involved that influenced the way the original route was approved by the previous government?

Decide and explain, like the people expect of all elected leaders, he must. The last thing Malaysians need now is another blackout a la Sept 16.

NG ENG KIAT is a research officer with the Centre for Policy Research and International Studies at Universiti Sains Malaysia.