Minister denies Bukit Tagar landfill remark, says neutral over waste disposal methods
Putrajaya is neutral over methods for Malaysia's garbage disposal methods, says Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who has denied telling concessionaires to keep quiet about new methods to process waste.
He also told The Malaysian Insider today that he never spoke to the concession holders for the Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill or issued any statements telling them that they should not say anything with regard to the proposed Kepong incinerator by the ministry.
"I strongly deny that I had ever spoken to (Tan Sri) Vincent Tan (the owner of Berjaya Corporation) on the matter. I have never met any of the management of Bukit Tagar because I want to stay as independent as possible," Abdul Rahman said today.
Berjaya Corporation (BCorp) and the Umno-owned KUB run a joint-venture to operate the Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill.
Abdul Rahman also added that his witnessing the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between KUB and Japanese IHI Enviro was not an endorsement of any sort.
He was referring to The Malaysian Insider's report quoting sources as stating that the minister has told BCorp to not say anything to keep their 30 year concession on the sanitary landfill in Bukit Tagar.
Sources said BCorp was apparently incensed that Umno-owned KUB has signed a deal with Japanese firm IHI Enviro to build incinerators in major cities, despite a joint-venture with the Malaysian conglomerate to manage a 1,700-acre sanitary landfill in Bukit Tagar, Selangor.
The incinerator deal will likely deprive the KUB Berjaya Enviro sanitary landfill of household waste in the country's wealthiest state. BCorp has a 60% stake in the joint-venture.
The Malaysian Insider understands that BCorp has voiced their concerns to Abdul Rahman who witnessed the signing of the KUB deal.
The sources said BCorp was furious over KUB's unilateral move as the Japanese firm had first approached the conglomerate for the incinerator venture.
The ministry had proposed a 1,000-tonne incinerator in Kepong to deal with the increasing waste in Klang Valley. At this point in time, the waste goes to Bukit Tagar. – July 10, 2014.
