Penang Gerakan chief Dr Teng Hock Nan's impassioned protest against the long-existing Jelutong garbage dump site has revealed more rubbish about the previous state government's involvement in the site.

State exco for local government, transportation and environment Chow Kon Yeow asked Teng whether he had forgotten his "grand plan" to for a Materials Reclamation Facility (MRF) at the Jelutong dump site prior to 2008.

NONE Chow ( left ) said that Teng, as the former exco member in charge of local government in the previous BN administration, had every intention to make Jelutong the waste management hub of the island.

While in office, he added, Teng had announced two locations for the MRF plants, "one at the Jelutong dump site and the other at Pulau Burung landfill on the mainland".

Chow, who is state DAP chief, was responding to Teng's comment opposing the continued existence of the Jelutong rubbish dump site, which has caused dissatisfaction among the people living within the area.

Teng, who is state BN chairperson, said the coalition was prepared to be the "mouthpiece" and champion the rights of residents in Jelutong unhappy with the dump site.

Chow said in a statement: "Had there been no change of government in March 2008, Teng would surely have seen his MRF plans pushed through and Jelutong today, in all likelihood, would have became the island's rubbish hub.

Plan for transfer station in Jelutong dropped

"It is irresponsible of Teng to suddenly want to be the mouthpiece of the Jelutong people when he was the one who initiated the situation that he is making noise about now."

Chow, who is also the Tanjong MP, said that the present state government has inherited many of the problems left behind by Teng and his former colleagues in the BN.

"The Batu Maung Transfer Station was a short-term measure that had to give way to the construction of the Second Link Bridge as we are no longer able to transport waste to the Pulau Burung landfill by sea," he said.

"Yes, we did consider a transfer station at the Jelutong site, but after taking in the views of the people, we have dropped the idea and instead are using the Ampang Jajar Transfer Station as the single transit point for solid waste in the state."

jeff ooi meeting dap disciplinary committee 050811 01 This is a temporary move, until the new transfer station in Batu Maung becomes operational.

Meanwhile, Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi ( right ) said Teng should have expressed his opposition 15 years ago, when he was in the state administration.

Ooi said Teng could have taken the necessary steps to rehabilitate the Jelutong dump site as a public green park.

Teng should also have prevented the building of the Indah Water Konsortium complex in a strategic area of east Jelutong, for it is now causing severe sanitary problems to kampung folk at Kota Giam and Tokong Batu.

"The BN and Gerakan must be ostracised for causing such environmental damages because of its bad town planning," Ooi said in a text message from London. "I am trying to clear all the mess caused by Teng right now... it will take years to undo his mistakes."