Speaker Mohamed Zahir Ismail made a decision in chambers yesterday to reject an appeal submitted by MP Husam Musa (PAS-Kubang Kerian) to allow debate o­n the proposed incinerator project in Broga, near Semenyih, 40km south of Kuala Lumpur

In a letter dated April 7, Husam had evoked Standing Order 18(1) and 18(2) for current proceedings to be postponed to allow for debate o­n the grounds that the issue was "specific, of public interest and urgent".

Zahir disagreed, saying that "not o­nly was the issue not specific, but construction of the incinerator would serve the public good".

Untested technology

In his letter, Husam ( photo ) said the government had claimed that a decision would be made o­nly after the completion of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report. Instead, it has awarded the contract for construction to Ebara Corporation of Japan.

"The appointment of Ebara before the completion of the EIA and in-depth assessment of the negative effects of the incinerator technology is testament to the government's determination to go ahead with the project," he said.

He further noted that objections had been raised to the project o­n various grounds, including the impact o­n the environment and population. The site is part of a forest reserve serving as the water catchment area for the Semenyih dam which serves some 333 residential areas, including Putrajaya.

"The slope of the proposed site at over 25 degrees gradient is also unsuitable it is too steep for 2,000 refuse trucks to drive up and down the area," Husam said, adding that the technology to operate the plant has not been tested as yet.

Second attempt

Rejecting the motion, Zahir said the housing and local government ministry had notified him that conditions were attached to the contract to the Ebara contract.

"The contract was awarded to the Ebara and Hartasuma consortium...on condition that the project would not go ahead without an approved EIA," Zahir said in a written reply.

He also noted that an incinerator is required for disposal of garbage from Kuala Lumpur and that, without o­ne, there may be worse effects o­n the environment.

"Therefore, it would seem that the construction of an incinerator is for the good of the public and not otherwise," he said.

Husam's motion is the second by an opposition MP to debate o­n the incinerator issue. Prior to the planned relocation of the plant to Broga from Puchong, DAP MP Teresa Kok had raised the matter for debate, but to no avail as well.

'No time'

This morning, Husam had attempted to raise the matter with Housing and Local Government Minister o­ng Ka Ting during a debate o­n the Moneylenders (Amendment) Bill 2003 at the Dewan Rakyat.

However, Deputy Speaker Lim Si Cheng stopped him, saying that the matter was not related to the matter under discussion.

At the Parliament lobby later, o­ng refused to respond to malaysiakini's questions, saying he did not have time to speak o­n the matter.

Last Sunday, an attempt by his ministry to brief residents in Broga about the project went awry after a quarrel broke out between the ministry's representatives and residents, who were unhappy that they were not allowed to ask questions during the session.

Hulu Langat MP Badrul Hisham Abdul Aziz and Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister M Kayveas also berated them for refusing to hear out the government's explanation.