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Page 11
 
 

500 METRIC TONS of rubbish - that is what the Island is proposing to dump on its tiny neighbour, a little island bearing the delightful name of  Pulau Burung. Naturally the tiny island and its immediate neighbours have not taken kindly to these latest manifestations of the caring society and of sustainable development 

A district should not throw its rubbish on other districts, says Tan Cheng Liang, Jawi assembly woman . She points out that the draft structure plan for 2000 - 2010 shows that Pulau Burung is not suitable for a waste dump. The island has 239.6 hectares as reserved land; besides an EIA report has recommended that areas bordering sea and rivers should be reserved land. Penang island should not threaten Province's 4 forest reserve lands or the redwood forests in the south which  protect rivers. It should be noted, she adds, that Province is already without rest areas 

Cheng Liang led Nibong Tebal MCA members in a protest, members pointing out that although Pulau Burung lay in her constituency she was not consulted. The Kebun Baru UMNO branch has also objected to the proposal which will be a threat to the health of 300 fishermen and 600 residents in the area. Nibong Tebal assemblyman Goh Keng Huat points out Batu Kawan and Tambun will be affected

Tan Cheng Liang says that the proposed annual expenditure of $5m on transportation should be better spent on an incinerator. But incinerators are opposed by Consumers Association of Penang (CAP), Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM),  and Trees Treat Every Environment Special SB (TREES) though it has been pointed out that Singapore has three incinerators handling 90% of the its waste

The hullabaloo is a signal demonstration that ad hoc decisions can cause chaos. Waste disposal is a difficult and controversial subject, arousing great passions. Careful long term planning and consultation with persons concerned should have been done before the decision to build the Jelutong Expressway. As it is one has the impression that the authorities suddenly woke up one day to find that the rubbish dump was in the way of the new road. Should the expressway not await proper planning and consultation? 

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[Ed: Each Klang Valley resident produces 1.2 kg of waste per day]. 
[Statistics for Penang are not available] #