DAP’s Bakri MP has submitted an appeal to the Dewan Rakyat speaker for debate on the Petronas project in Pengerang, Johor, as more than a third of the residents have objected to the project.

NONE “In a democratic system, if a third of the residents in a community raises an appeal for a motion to be debated in Parliament, it should not be ignored or rejected,” Er Teck Hwa said today.

Er today filed an appeal to have the contentious oil and gas mega project debated, after an earlier motion was rejected.

He cited a signature campaign conducted recently among residents. This gathered 3,612 signatures representing 36 percent of the residents.

“Although we faced some attempts by BN-Umno members to try all kinds of ways to impede the campaign, to the point that several volunteers were detained and questioned by the police, we nevertheless managed to collect 3,612 signatures...” he said.

He added that 87 volunteers had taken part in the exercise held between March 31 and April 8.

pengerang protest demo 180312 On March 18, some 200 Pengerang residents had held a short protest against Petronas' planned project.

They are concerned with being displaced as well as with the environmental impact of the project on the coastal region, as this will affect their livelihood.

The Pengerang Residents Action Committee claimed that a survey last November showed that 96 percent of the locals were opposed to the project.

Umno organised a counter rally to support the project, allegedly ferrying in protestors from outside Pengerang.