What started out as an informal anti-coal lobby in Sabah received a big boost yesterday when the stage was set for concerted efforts on green energy solutions.

Five leading NGOs came together to form a coalition called Green Surf, or Sabah Unite to Re-Power the Future to help present positive ideas and contributions to solve Sabah's energy woes.

They are Leap (Land Empowerment People and Animals), Pacos Trust (Partners of Community Organisations), Sepa (Sabah Environment Protection Association), the Malaysian Nature Society Sabah Branch, and the WWF-Malaysia (Worldwide Fund for Nature), Sabah chapter.

Initially, the NGOs banded together to oppose a proposed on-off-on 300MW coal-fired power plant along the eastern seaboard.

"We will present positive solutions to resolve the current energy shortage in Sabah," pledged former Sepa chief SM Muthu who acted as spokesman for the coalition.

green surf sabah 011109 "It's time to provoke and promote a paradigm shift in thinking on Sabah's future energy needs."

Muthu said that Green Surf came about in response to demands from the public to forge greater unity on the green agenda in the state.

Green Surf will soon embark on a massive signature campaign to oppose the proposed coal-fired power plant and highlight concerns about climate change.

Greenies will meet in Copenhagen, Denmark, next month to discuss a replacement Treaty for the Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012.

Meanwhile, the Green Surf webpage hosted by Facebook, the social networking site has already gathered 1,000 members since it was launched less than two weeks ago.

The Facebook site provides details on a Green Celebration scheduled for Dec 12 at the BB Café along Jalan Pantai in Kota Kinabalu.

Green Surf has also pledged to work towards introducing green technology in Sabah and persuading the Federal government to choose Sandakan, Lahad Datu or Tawau to set up its first pioneer green township in Malaysian Borneo.

The idea of green technology and green townships has been raised in the Budget 2010 but Malaysian Borneo was not mentioned as being under consideration.

'Gift from God'

Green Surf appears to be a euphemism for getting Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) to abandon its idea of a coal-fired power plant in Sabah.

Thus far, the NGOs have successfully opposed coal-fired power plants in Sandakan and Silam.

green surf sabah 011109 "Having a coal-fired power plant in Sabah is not in line with management plans such as the Sabah Shoreline Management Plan or the Sabah development Corridor," said Muthu.

"These plans aim to place Sabah as the most liveable place in Asia by 2025."

Sabahans value their green heritage as "a gift from God", according to Muthu, "and we don't want to risk damaging this gift by bringing in energy solutions that would also damage the world class conservation reputation that we have acquired."

The coal-fired power plant, if implemented, will come under SESB (Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd). An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is currently being conducted.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has sworn that EIA or no EIA, the coal-fired power plant will be built in Lahad Datu.

SESB is a 80 percent TNB-owned subsidiary. TNB is trying to persuade public opinion in Sabah to at least accept one coal-fired power plant in the state on the promise that it will be the last.

TNB chairman Leo Moggie claims that "the state cannot wait for the luxury of seeking green solutions when the power woes have become critical."