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Green Surf – Five NGOs gang up to oppose ‘dirty energy’ sources

Posted by savesdk7 On November - 12 - 2009

It’s official – the Anti-Coal Movement has just gone State-wide! Let’s Save Sabah and not just Sandakan.

Please Visit Green Surf at www.nocoalsabah.blogspot.com

Green SURF

Kota Kinabalu: Five non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are combining forces in Sabah in an unprecedented move to oppose dirty energy such as coal-fired power plants.

The Sabah Unite to Re-Power the Future or Green Surf coalition consists of the Land Empowerment Animals and People (Leap), Partners of Community Organisations (Pacos Trust), Sabah Environmental Protection Association (Sepa), the Malaysian Nature Society Sabah branch and Sabah office of WWF-Malaysia.

These bodies, which all have differing ideas and objectives, believe this union would push for the achievement of one universal goal – to find and present positive solutions to the current energy situation in the State.

At a joint press conference to announce the alliance at Tanjung Aru beach here, Saturday, founder and director of Leap, Cynthia Ong, said the unification was a result of the public approaching the respective organisations and wanting something concrete done on environmental issues, the proposed coal-fired power plant in Lahad Datu being the flavour of the week.

“With Sabah putting itself forward as a leader in conservation in the region, we really feel that such an event (setting up of coal-fired power plant) would undermine all the efforts of our organisations.

“This is why we have to step up. And also the public has approached our respective organisations, so we’re answering that call.

“This is not anti-government but we are supporting the Government in looking for new solutions and using the might of our organisations to support (the solutions),” she said.

“We are not just saying ‘no coal or anti-coal’ but will find alternative energy solutions for the State and present them to our leadership and public.

“But the main thing is of course is to change the course of direction towards the future of energy, which we feel should be renewable É we’re actually pro-active about (finding) solutions,” she said, pointing out there are many unexplored solutions.

Sepa President Wong Tack said the coalition was a good start towards better conservation efforts, adding they need the public to back them if they were really to hit the ground running.

“I’m sure this platform will expand and closer working relationships would be established.

“This is a very positive start for a greener Sabah and we hope citizens of Sabah will come together. The Prime Minister always emphasises about wanting to listen to the people, so the people must exercise the right so the authorities can hear us.“

Chief Technical Officer of WWF-Malaysia’s Sabah Office, Rahimatsah Amat, urged the public to rally behind the coalition on the energy issue and other urgent environmental issues.

“We do not have a very specific agenda but the agenda is specific towards green things, which on our plate at the very moment is the coal-fired power plant.

“But there could be many more pressing issues that need to be addressed so we need the support of the public to show that we’re moving in the right direction for all of us to have a future in Sabah,” he said, adding they will release information on their developments from time to time.

On the coal-fired power plant, he said the effects would not be felt immediately but years down the line, accentuating the urgency to find an alternative solution to the energy source.

Meanwhile, Green Surf is calling on everyone in Sabah to sign a petition to show their concern for climate change with specific emphasis on the planned coal-fired power plant.

A webpage has been set up on social networking site Facebook, which has garnered 1, 000 members within two weeks.

The public could also visit www.nocoalsabah.blogspot.com, which has a link to the Facebook page to find out more about the issue as well as to sign the online petition.

In a statement, Green Surf also urged the Federal Government to consider developing one of the two budgeted green pioneer townships with green technology in Sabah.

“We applaud the Prime Minister for having the foresight of planning these green pioneer townships and we request for East Malaysia to have one and we recommend the government consider one of our East Coast townships such as Sandakan, Lahad Datu or Tawau.”

http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=68550

Sunday, November 01, 2009

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