Anti-incinerator group to protest at Selayang Municipal Council on Tuesday

The Rawang Tolak Incinerator Network (RTI) pressure group today announced they will hold a protest rally against the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) this Tuesday and called for Rawang residents to join them.

This comes in response to the local government’s recent decision to rezone a residential land plot in Batu Arang, Rawang to the industrial category, which effectively facilitates the building of a planned mega incinerator at the location.

RTI spokesperson Abdul Hanan Abd Mokti said the rally aims to send a message to MPS that Rawang residents are disappointed with its decision to approve an application to rezone the land plot, despite heavy objections against the incinerator project.

“MPS had the option to keep the draft local plan unchanged or modify it based on these objections, as stipulated in Section 15(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976.

“However, they approved the plan without any changes, disregarding community feedback. It is believed that the draft local plan is now awaiting final approval from the Selangor state executive council.

“RTI and our counterparts are deeply disappointed with MPS’ decision and demand a thorough explanation for their blatant disregard of community objections,” he told a press conference in Bandar Tasik Puteri this morning.

Hanan was joined by representatives of several other groups that oppose the WTE project in Batu Arang.

Reject draft

The coalition urged the Selangor government to reject the draft of the local plan amendment.

According to Hanan, the protest that is planned for between 10am and 12pm in front of the MPS office in Selayang this Tuesday would be their first rally outside their locality.

They have previously organised several other demonstrations within the Batu Arang and Bandar Tasik Puteri areas, which residents say will be heavily impacted by the incinerator.

The coalition is hoping for a turnout of between 150 and 200 individuals but welcomes more Rawang residents to join them to send a stronger message.

Hanan said they are also submitting an appeal against the rezoning decision and hoping the local council would cancel it.

Adding further, he said RTI plans to take their protest to the Selangor state assembly next should the state government continue to ignore their cries for help.

No feedback

According to the group, they have tried many other ways to get authorities’ attention since last year, including making requests to have a meeting with Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, but to no avail.

RTI also has not received any feedback on a letter they sent to the Selangor palace to seek Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s intervention, Hanan added.

It was previously reported that two WTE incinerators are expected to operate simultaneously within a 15km radius of Rawang town.

The first incinerator is the Sultan Idris Shah WTE Green Energy Plant under the purview of the state government, which is facing protests.

The plant will be overseen by Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd (KDEB) Waste Management and YTL Power International Bhd.

KDEB is a subsidiary of Selangor Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI Selangor).

The second is the relocated WTE incinerator by the Housing and Local Government Ministry which was initially planned to be built at Taman Beringin, Kepong, and was later moved to Rawang.

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