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19th November, 2008
KOTA KINABALU: Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) should be more open-minded about the setting up of a coal-fired power plant in Sandakan.
They should not confine themselves to the view that such a plant can be detrimental to the environment and the people, said Gum-Gum Assemblyman, Datuk Zakaria Mohd Edris at the State Assembly sitting here yesterday.
He said if construction of the plant did not materialise due to the complaints, then the people must not blame the government if they continued to experience power disruptions.
Zakaria also stressed that the power plant could resolve the power woes of Sandakan, Tawau, Lahad Datu as well as other areas in the east coast and henceforth help to spur economic and social development in these areas.
“Everyone knows that Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Tawau need uninterrupted power supplies to support their economic and population growth,” he said.
Zakaria added that if the power needs are not met, it might slow down or even halt economic development.
The state government, he said, has already announced that the RM1.3 billion coal-fired power plant would be set up in Sandakan.
Zakaria meanwhile said he has visited coal-fired power plants in Kuching, Johor Bharu, Manjung (Perak) and Selangor with representatives from various organisations including the NGOs.
‘And we found that the plant in Johor Bharu is capable of producing 2,100 megawatts but it is not detrimental to the environment there. Even Singapore, which is so near, did not raise any objection (to the coal-fired power plant).
“So what is wrong if a coal-fired power plant with a capacity of only 300 megawatt is established in Sandakan, especially since Sabah will face a power crisis by the year 2010 if nothing is done,” he said.
Zakaria said many business establishments would stand to loose if there were power disruptions.
He also told the House that Pulau Libaran, Kampung Pamaguan and Kampung Semawang were still not supplied with electricity.
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