6 July 2014
KUALA LUMPUR: An incinerator in Malaysia is not needed even if it is based on Japanese technology as the situation in both countries is different.
Referring to Japan’s offer to supply its incinerator technology to Malaysia, Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming said Malaysia is not the suitable place to implement Japanese incineration technology.
“It is because we have not done something that Japan has already done which is separation of waste at source,” he said, adding that Japan has its own schedule to collect different types of rubbish every two days.
“To put it simply, all waste streams are separated at source and collected separately in Japan,” Ong said in a press conference in Laman Resident Kipark, near here today.
Ong, who visited three Japanese incineration plants during an unofficial trip with several NGOs, said Japan needs incinerators because it does not have enough land.
“In Malaysia, there is enough land to implement other programmes and not just incineration, such as recycling centres, setting up a bio-gas facility or anaerobic digestion. We have other options,” he added.
Recently, Japan offered its incinerator technology to Malaysia when a Malaysian delegation met that country’s Waste and Recycle Management director-general, Shigemoto Kajihara.
The Malaysian team, led by National Solid Waste Management Department (JPSPN) director-general Dr Nadzri Yahaya, included Kepong MP Dr Tan Seng Giaw and Hulu Langat MP Dr Che Rosly Che Mat.
Also in the delegation were Gerakan’s Batu parliamentary coordinator Prof Dr Dominic Lau, Umno Kepong representative Abdul Razak Abdul Rahman and Kuala Lumpur Tak Nak Insinerator (KTI) representative Lam Choong Wah.
However, KTI claimed the trip was merely an agenda to mitigate the negative perception of incinerators in Malaysia.
Lam said Japan and Malaysia had different and unique environments.
“Japan is in a different situation (compared to Malaysia) which made them select the incinerator as the only technology in waste management,” he said.
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1104119