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“Massive Natural Heritage Destruction at Seguntor – Site for the Sandakan Coal – Fired Power Plant”

Call to scrap coal-fired power plant plan

Posted by Save Sandakan On August - 19 - 2009

KOTA KINABALU: The State government should scrap the plan of constructing coal-fired power plant once and for all as it contradicts the objectives of The National Green Technology Policy (NGTP), said Tawau MP, Datuk Chua Soon Bui.

She said she felt strongly about the objection by the Sabah folks to the proposed construction of a coal-fired power plant in the state, after attending the launching of NGTP by Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the Pusat Tenaga Malaysia, in Selangor last week.

In a statement yesterday, she recognised that NGTP is the way forward to implement renewable energy resources with sustainable solutions which minimize degrading impact on the environment……..read more below .

“The NGTP aspires to minimize the growth of energy consumption of the present resources with enhanced economic development, and most important of all, a better quality of life for all Malaysians. Green technology is nothing new as many countries in the world such as Germany, Spain, France, Japan and others had implemented it to overcome the global problems of global warming, climate change, depletion of natural resources, energy supplies and food security,” she noted.

She said that in his speech at the launching ceremony, Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water, Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui highlighted that in 2006, Malaysia consumed about 14 Gigawatts of energy and the energy requirement is predicted to be 19 Gigawatts in 2010 and 23 Gigawatts in 2015. Malaysia will become a net importer of oil by 2013.

She thus commended the government’s effort in diverting the energy resources from oil, gas, coal power and hydropower to more sustainable resources of solar, wind, biomass and geothermal energies under the NGTP.

“In 1979 when the National Energy Policy was formulated, it was to ensure adequacy, security and cost effectiveness of energy with efficient utilization of energy. But Sabah has never benefited for the past 30 years. Although renewable energy resource was emphasized in RMK 9 (Ninth Malaysian Plan), no comprehensive plan was ever implemented,” she pointed out.

She thus hoped that the government will adopt a strong political will in implementing the NGTP even though it may be more costly to implement in the beginning, but in the long run it is cheaper, as no raw materials are needed, and it is easier to maintain.

Chua thus questioned why Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) being the sole energy provider in Malaysia still insists on building the coal power plant in Sabah when the government is now going all out to implement the NGTP.

“Why TNB chose to do the opposite? Is TNB more powerful to the extent of ignoring the government’s policy?” she asked.

“The reasons given by TNB were that coal power plant is non-polluting technology and cost effective but the NGTP has already taken into account of the challenge ahead with short and long termed goals so that quality of life for all citizens and future generations are ensured. Coal is definitely not a renewable energy resource,” she added.

She further noted that besides the pollution factor, the people of Sabah are also suspicious of the real motive behind TNB’s adamant stand to proceed with the construction of coal-fired power plant in Sabah. They were concerned that it may ultimately lead to the mining of the coal deposit in the Maliau Basin when import of coal becomes unviable.

She also said the people of Sabah has never objected the gas power plant in Kimanis and hoped that it can be sanctioned as soon as possible to ease the acute power shortage in Sabah.

She thus urged the Prime Minister to intervene on the forced building of the coal power plant which was said to be the only solution to ensure adequate power supply in Sabah especially Tawau. She also urged the TNB not to hold the people at ransom as it is the government’s responsibility.

Chua also proposed that if TNB is not willing to consider other renewable energy power plants such as the solar or hybrid ones, the government should issue licence to Sabah companies through Sabah Development Corporation (SDC), so that they are given a chance to spearhead the NGTP under the 10th Malaysia Plan and let Sabah become a role model for green and renewable energy provider.

http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/30650

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