Neutral study on coal plant - Daily Express
Sandakan: The State Government may seek the help of independent experts to carry out environmental impact assessments (EIA) on the proposed coal-fired power plant project here.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah said this was to ensure the EIA report is not seen to be favouring any parties involved in the project.
"I think the State Government needs to get environmental experts who have no interest in the project, whose findings will be acceptable to the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the people," he told a news conference, Wednesday.
He said engineers and other parties involved in the project, especially from the Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), were not suitable to give views on the project's environmental impact.
Although SESB might have the expertise on environmental issues, its explanation would be less acceptable to the people and the NGOs because the company had an interest in the project, he said.
He said the experts need not come from abroad so long as they had no interest in the project.
Tan also said that the Government wanted to implement the project in the east coast to tackle the power woes in the area.
However, the Government would not proceed with it if the project was harmful to the environment and the people's well-being.
"It's not as if we have to proceed with the project in Sandakan after it was cancelled in Lahad Datu, and it's not as though we don't care for the health of the Sandakan people."
The project was initially proposed in Lahad Datu but was called off in April after much considerations on its environmental implications.
The State Government later asked the SESB to identify a new site and conduct roadshows to explain the project especially to the people in the east coast.
Speaking to reporters at the Sandakan Golf Club, at Mile 7, near here, Wednesday, he said it was also important to assess the views of the Sandakan Chinese Chamber of Commerce (SCCC) and other non-governmental organisations before giving the green light to set up the plant.
Tan, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, was commenting on the protest by the SCCC which is in the process of collecting some 50,000 signatures to object against the project.
However, if the coal-powered plant could not be accepted, then the Government would have to find alternative measures to resolve the problem of the lack of energy, he said.
In this respect, the Ministry might have to review the Liwagu Hydro project, he said.
According to him, the Liwagu hydro project would have the capacity to generate more than 100MW of electricity, while Sandakan's future demand would exceed some 700MW.
He pointed out that the Liwagu Hydro could only provide short term power supply, considering that the present demand exceeds 200MW.
Meanwhile, several organisations here have joined hands to form a Sandakan Anti-Coal-fired Power Plant Action Committee in a bid to urge the Government abolish the proposed project from being carried out in the municipality.
The committee, which was established in a meeting attended by some 60 people on Tuesday, is headed by the Sandakan Chinese Chamber of Commerce (SCCC) Secretary-General, Stephen Wong Tien Fett, while his deputies are Eleanor Wong (EAC), Abg Mohd Jorgy Juana (Bumiputera Chamber of Commerce) and G. Gengadharan Pillai (Indian Chamber of Commerce).
Other committee members are Cham Yock Hua (SCCC) as Secretary, Datuk Hassan Alban Sandukong (EAC) as Assistant Secretary, Charles Chow Kok Cheng (EAC), Dusun Chong (Rotary Club) as Treasurer, Wong Vui Soon as Media Director and Ku Ah Kong as Co-ordinator.
Meanwhile, Wong in refuting a statement made by State Science Advisor, Datuk Tham Nyip Shen, said that the SCCC had never mentioned Tham's involvement in the coal-fired power plant and was also not interested in knowing whether he (Tham) has a share in it.
In his statement Tuesday, Tham had denied having a stake in the coal-fired plant.
"We are only concerned about our younger generation and the environmental impact, which would be brought by the coal-fired plant that is being abolished gradually in other advanced countries," said Wong.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Coal-Based Power Plant
So, its bad for LD but OK for S'kan
I WAS saddened to read that the coal-powered power plant is being shovelled down the throat of the people of Sandakan.
The State Cabinet made a wise decision in cancelling the coal-powered power plant which was originally supposed to be sited in Lahad Datu. The reason was that coal is bad for health and the Environment.
But moving it to Sandakan opens up many questions. If it is bad for Lahad Datu, how come it's good for Sandakan?
Sandakan has a larger and more wide-spread populace and many rich ecological sites. People may even say that the Cabinet was quick to abrogate the Lahad Datu site because it had the intention to move it to Sandakan which may then lead to questions of vested interests.
I sympathise with the Science Advisor to the government.
He should have been consulted for his "expert advice" before the project was decided on and not be made to justify a questionable decision that has already been made.
This could be unfair to him but this is not the first time that he has had to do this kind of thing - justifying the unjustifiable.
Yes, coal is BAD. There is no such thing as "clean coal".
It is merely a clever use or rather abuse of words and sales gimmicks by vested interests.
From the point of mining, transportation and usage and discharge of exhaust - coal is bad, VERY BAD.
There is so much information available on the Internet on the health hazards of coal.
There are many protest movements calling for the closing down of coal-powered plants.
Carbon-capture technology which can minimise health hazards is 15 to 20 years away and by that time the damage would have been done and sadly the brunt of it would be borne by children who now have no say in the decision making. But parents who claim to love their children can and should do something.
People are not going to drop dead when the coal-powered plant starts operation but hazards are long-term and accumulative. Severe cases and attacks of Asthma would be prevalent.
The 300 MW plant involves billion-dollar investments and investers won't just turn it off when serious health hazards are realised because then it would become a question of billion-dollar compensation. But it can be abrogated now before agreements are signed.
Let us wise-up. Get all the facts right. The state government should not rush into signing any agreements.
Don't base decisions after listening to sales talk given by the "experts" from supplier firms.
Let us learn from other people's mistakes. What was done in ignorance in the past should not be repeated due to arrogance and vested interests in the present.
TNB and SESB must be fair. Don't threaten people with "it's coal or darkness" for you. Exhaust all means of power generation. There is so much of gas available around Sabah.
The Prime Minister had announced after his last visit that a 300MW gas-powered plant would be built. What happened?
Biomass is another good alternative - the many palm-oil mills could be connected to the power grid.
There is a price to pay for development and comfort but if the "price" can be minimised or avoided why not?
Sandakanians should not be forced to 'pay the price' so that people with vested interests can enjoy their 'windfall benefits'.
I admire and support the objections raised against the coal-powered plant by the various NGOs and other bodies in Sandakan. They have the right.
After all it is their back-door and it is their children who may end-up paying the price.
The decision-makers would all be far and safely away.
SM Muthu
I WAS saddened to read that the coal-powered power plant is being shovelled down the throat of the people of Sandakan.
The State Cabinet made a wise decision in cancelling the coal-powered power plant which was originally supposed to be sited in Lahad Datu. The reason was that coal is bad for health and the Environment.
But moving it to Sandakan opens up many questions. If it is bad for Lahad Datu, how come it's good for Sandakan?
Sandakan has a larger and more wide-spread populace and many rich ecological sites. People may even say that the Cabinet was quick to abrogate the Lahad Datu site because it had the intention to move it to Sandakan which may then lead to questions of vested interests.
I sympathise with the Science Advisor to the government.
He should have been consulted for his "expert advice" before the project was decided on and not be made to justify a questionable decision that has already been made.
This could be unfair to him but this is not the first time that he has had to do this kind of thing - justifying the unjustifiable.
Yes, coal is BAD. There is no such thing as "clean coal".
It is merely a clever use or rather abuse of words and sales gimmicks by vested interests.
From the point of mining, transportation and usage and discharge of exhaust - coal is bad, VERY BAD.
There is so much information available on the Internet on the health hazards of coal.
There are many protest movements calling for the closing down of coal-powered plants.
Carbon-capture technology which can minimise health hazards is 15 to 20 years away and by that time the damage would have been done and sadly the brunt of it would be borne by children who now have no say in the decision making. But parents who claim to love their children can and should do something.
People are not going to drop dead when the coal-powered plant starts operation but hazards are long-term and accumulative. Severe cases and attacks of Asthma would be prevalent.
The 300 MW plant involves billion-dollar investments and investers won't just turn it off when serious health hazards are realised because then it would become a question of billion-dollar compensation. But it can be abrogated now before agreements are signed.
Let us wise-up. Get all the facts right. The state government should not rush into signing any agreements.
Don't base decisions after listening to sales talk given by the "experts" from supplier firms.
Let us learn from other people's mistakes. What was done in ignorance in the past should not be repeated due to arrogance and vested interests in the present.
TNB and SESB must be fair. Don't threaten people with "it's coal or darkness" for you. Exhaust all means of power generation. There is so much of gas available around Sabah.
The Prime Minister had announced after his last visit that a 300MW gas-powered plant would be built. What happened?
Biomass is another good alternative - the many palm-oil mills could be connected to the power grid.
There is a price to pay for development and comfort but if the "price" can be minimised or avoided why not?
Sandakanians should not be forced to 'pay the price' so that people with vested interests can enjoy their 'windfall benefits'.
I admire and support the objections raised against the coal-powered plant by the various NGOs and other bodies in Sandakan. They have the right.
After all it is their back-door and it is their children who may end-up paying the price.
The decision-makers would all be far and safely away.
SM Muthu
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