I am very displeased with my government's decision to bulldoze through the Broga incinerator project by awarding the contract to Ebara Corp of Japan before the EIA is completed.

At first the government said the project is taking off. Then when the people objected, the government said it'll wait for the EIA before going ahead. At the same time, this contract was being drafted behind our backs. Such double-faced manoeuvres hardly surprise anymore.

In this day and age, the government must realise two major things before they embark o­n any controversial project.

Firstly, the people today are more educated than before. We demand to be treated with respect and we want our opinion to be counted. Gone are the days when government officials can distribute leaflets and give presents to our children and pretend that all is well in the constituency. We are not living in the 1960s when o­nly a few people have university degrees.

The government needs to come out with hard data and real numbers to convince the people of the need for any project. They must be prepared to argue scientifically and concede arguments if they are proven wrong. Failure to recognise the intellectual capability and the will of the people will result in serious erosion of the people's trust and support for the government.

Secondly, information travels at the speed of light. Our PM's IT vision has ensured that more information is accessible to more people. Secrets are harder to keep and they are more likely to be revealed sooner rather than later. The government may try to excuse its jumping the gun by arguing that the awarding of the contract to Ebara is to expedite the project if the EIA okays the incinerator. However, what happens if the EIA says the project is unsafe? A contract is a contract and we challenge the government to produce a clause in the contract to show that the contract can be revoked in the event of a failed EIA.

We have no reason to believe any new EIA finding, because the government leaflets distributed so far lack hard evidence and imply that it has already made up its mind, without the detailed EIA! The government say it will ensure that the incinerator is safe but its actions show otherwise.

I am a long time Barisan Nasional supporter but I will not vote for the party in the next election. I think my sentiments will be echoed by many.