SHAH ALAM, Sept 23 — Kuang assemblyman Mohd Rafiq Abdullah hopes the state government listens to the people’s concerns about the Batu Arang waste-to-energy (WTE) plant, following objections by residents now seeking public donations to fund legal action against the project.
Rafiq said he has raised the issue several times to the Selangor State Legislative Assembly, urging that the state government reassess the project and find a solution rather than leaving the matter to be fought in court.
The proposed site for the Sultan Idris Shah (SIS) Green Energy Plant is on the Rawang-Batu Arang border, meaning the physical project is technically in Rawang but the closest heavily populated residential areas overlap into Kuang.
Rafiq said he supports WTE technology as a way to address waste management problems, but opposes the proposed location in Batu Arang, citing issues raised about the Jeram 1 WTE plant in Kuala Selangor.
“I’m not saying it should not be built, but it should be located further away from residential areas, at least 10km to 15km away. The one in Jeram is about 5km from residential areas, and that has also caused many problems. This is also stated in the committee’s report.
“We hope the state government will listen. We should not have to go to court to fight over this. I think we are beyond that.
“The government should be able to listen, analyse what the people actually want, reassess the matter and find a solution. I think that would be the best way forward,” he told Media Selangor when contacted.
While the Jeram 1 WTE has not faced critical objections from local residents, the project has drawn pushback from outside groups and environmental activists.
Rafiq is a member of the state assembly’s Water Management, Agriculture, Infrastructure, and Mobility Select Committee (JPK-INFRAGRO).
On Monday, a group of residents and non-governmental organisation Jaringan Rawang Tolak Insinerator (JRTI) held a press conference seeking RM100,000 in public donations to fund legal action against the project, following the issue of its latest environmental impact assessment (EIA) report.
Commenting on possible legal action by the group, Rafiq said he is not in a position to determine whether their concerns are legally valid, saying they are free to pursue the matter.
He added that there have been multiple engagement sessions, meetings, and discussions with residents and stakeholders over the past three years, where he has also raised his objections.
Rafiq said the WTE project would still have to comply with strict guidelines and pass the EIA process before it can proceed. The Environment Department (DOE) reportedly approved the sixth version of the EIA report in July.
According to JRTI spokesperson Abdul Hanan Abd Mokti, the group has sent 13 letters to DOE since October last year, but has yet to receive a response or details on the EIA approval and proposed safeguards.
He also questioned the authorities’ mitigation plans in the event of air pollution or geological instability caused by the WTE plant.
State executive councillor for local government and tourism Dato’ Ng Suee Lim has not responded to a Media Selangor’s request for comment.
On September 15, Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said the project could be relocated elsewhere in Rawang as there is land that was approved in 2019 to house waste from Kuala Lumpur, but added that such an effort must consider aspects including safety.
