KOTA KINABALU  The Sabah Environment Protection Association (Sepa) urged Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd Saturday to confirm or deny whether it is going ahead with the proposed 300MW coal-fired power plant in Sandakan.

"We have information that SESB has booked and enblocked 500 acres at the POIC site in Seguntor Bay just 6km from the Sepilok Orang-utan Centre," Sepa President Wong Tack told a press conference.

"We want to know why SESB is so secretive about it after they had promised a transparent EIA process because they had steadfastly denied a suitable site had been identified," Wong said.

"If they have identified the site, they should announce it publicly. The people have to know. You want us to participate in the Environment Impact Assessment process, yet you are not telling where you propose to locate the project but we have information that planning of the site is going on at the POIC Sandakan," Wong Tack said.

"Public participation is the most important component in any terms of reference and EIA process," Wong Tack reminded SESB.

"No project should be forcibly imposed on the community. It must have pubic acceptance especially on a large private profit making independent power plant like this which involves large-scale discharge of chemically treated water wastes and gaseous emissions.

"The tourism trade people are worried because POIC Sandakan is so near a world renowned tourism destination just 6km away. We have fishing villages half a kilometre across the Seguntor river mouth and housing estates just 3 to 4km away inland.

"We object to the proposed coal-fired plant in Sandakan because it is totally incompatible with the Sabah Development Corridor which calls for sustainable development."

Pages: 1 · 2 · 3