Scrap incinerator plan, avoid repeating RM100 million mistake, says Vincent Tan

Tan Sri Vincent Tan (pic) today called on Putrajaya not to proceed with the construction of incinerators in Kuala Lumpur.

The Berjaya Corp founder said the government should not be "misled by certain quarters with their own agenda in promoting the Kuala Lumpur incinerator project".

"It would seem that these groups have no regard for what is in the best interest of the nation. Apart from safety and environmental issues, the incinerator project will drain our foreign reserves as most of the equipment and components will need to be sourced from overseas.

"The government should reassess the incinerator project objectively without undue influence from these groups and obtain feedback from all stakeholders before making any definitive decision.

"Otherwise, we may see history repeating itself when something like RM100 million was paid as compensation to the equipment suppliers and contractors when the Broga incinerator project was called off.

"I hope our government will not make the same mistake again," said Tan in a statement published in English daily, The Sun, today.

He also stated that the sanitary landfill in Bukit Tagar currently run by concessionaire KUB-Berjaya Enviro is more than enough to manage the waste of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.

The Malaysian Insider had recently reported that the landfill concessionaire had been told not to say anything against the incinerator project or risk losing their concession.

Tan, who is also Cardiff City Football Club owner, denied this and said that Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan had never spoken to him or the management of the Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill.

"The article seems to suggest that the minister has sought to exert pressure on me and the Bukit Tagar landfill management to refrain from making statements on the Kuala Lumpur incinerator project.

"I wish to confirm that the minister has not met or spoken to me, nor with the management of the Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill on the Kuala Lumpur incinerator project, and any suggestion otherwise is entirely baseless and incorrect.

"Notwithstanding, I feel the government ought to reassess its plan for the Kuala Lumpur incinerator project as the existing waste disposal facilities including the Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill, which has been in operation since 2005, is effectively managing the disposal of Kuala Lumpur's and Selangor's waste.

"The Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill has approximately 120 million tonnes capacity and can cater to disposing the total waste generated in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor (of around 5,000 tonnes per day) for over 65 years.

"Currently, Bukit Tagar only manages Kuala Lumpur's 2,500 tonnes of waste per day and at this level the Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill can last for over 130 years.

"Since we already have an adequate sanitary landfill to take care of Kuala Lumpur's and Selangor's waste for the long-term, in my view the government should not spend the estimated RM1 billion to implement the Kuala Lumpur incinerator project," said Tan.

The recent proposal to set up a 1000-tonne incinerator in Kepong would take away a sizeable percentage of waste from the Bukit Tagar landfill.

Tan proposed that the RM1 billion be channelled to Youth and Sports Ministry and Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to further develop and improve the standard of football in our country.

"The standard of football in Malaysia at international level has been on the decline for many years now.

"Long gone are the days when Malaysians revelled at the footballing skills of the late great Mokhtar Dahari, Soh Chin Aun, R. Arumugam and Santokh Singh, just to name a few of our football veterans.

"Malaysians held their head high when their national team was playing on the regional and international stage.

"Something must be done to revive our standing in the football world. We are a football loving nation and I believe we have many talented youngsters who can aspire to the highest levels of football if given the opportunity to do so," said Tan.

Tan further stated that with the appropriate plans and monetary support to carry it through, programmes can be designed to tap footballing expertise from the European and Latin American countries with excellent footballing credentials through football academies. – July 14, 2014.