Sabah discriminated by BN government

KOTA KINABALU, 26 May 2009: The Barisan Nasional (BN) Government is discriminating Sabah when it comes to providing the needed development, in particular, energy supplies, said Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).

SAPP Wanita Chief Melanie Chia said it is evidence when the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), a Government Linked Company (GLC), which has been monopolising energy supply in the country, has confirmed that power from Bakun dam in Sarawak is very unlikely to be channeled to Sabah .

"Is this another confirmation of the disparity managed by the Barisan Nasional Government," Melanie, who is also Luyang Assemblywoman asked in a statement, here, today.

She said Sabah also deserved to be supplied with energy from either Bakun dam or another dam in Sarawak, Murun dam, and not only peninsula due to our power problems, which persistently hit all over the State since the last 30 years.

"Why energy generated from Bakun goes all the way to Peninsula and not Sabah?" she asked adding Sabah needed energy more than Peninsula because West Malaysia probably has sufficient supply while Sabah are in dire needs.

She said there is no reason not to channel energy to Sabah from Bakun or Murun when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had recently said that part of the energy from Bakun goes to Indonesia .

In addition, a minister has also indicated that energy from Murun will be exported to Brunei .

Melanie said the people here will certainly be dejected if energy from Sarawak could not be channeled to Sabah .

According to her, energy problems like sudden power failures, disruptions and rations are considered norm all over the State with the East Coast the hardest hit areas and the problems have never been improved even before Bakun dam project was considered.

"Power cut is part of life in Sabah for years," she added.

She further said that recently Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui had said that there is a possibility that Sabah will receive energy from Bakun or Murun.

She added it seems that the Minister and TNB differs on decisions.

"I wonder who has the higher power between them, is it the Federal Minister or the TNB Chairman," she asked.

She also queried reasons behind Moggie's statement that coal-fired power plant is the only option to address energy problems in the east Coast.

"Has Moggie got a hidden agenda? Why is he so insistent on the coal-fired power plant as the only option for the East Coast," Melanie further asked.

Moggie was reported to have said that until now TNB had yet to identify anything that can substitute the coal-fired power plant for Sabah .

"We are not saying we are giving away the plan to have a coal-fired power plant. We are open for anything, if there is practical option or alternative available out there. Based on our observation, now there is no other alternative practical option," Moggie said.

Melanie noted that TNB targets to commission the first nuclear power plant in Malaysia by 2025 if the government decides to include nuclear as an acceptable energy option.

Head of nuclear energy unit TNB, Dr Mohd Zamzam Jaafar was reported to have said TNB cannot ignore nuclear energy amid the uncertain future supply and volatile fossil fuel prices as well as gas resources.

Coal price, Dr Mohd Zamzam said, has also been very volatile.

According to Melanie, if Moggie had intended the coal-fired power plant as a long term solution to the energy problem in Sabah , it does not seem to syncronise with the overall energy planning in view of the scarcity of raw material and volatility of coal price in the medium and long term.

"We Malaysians in Sabah are still puzzled by Moggie's insistent on a coal-fired power plant for Sabah ," she added.

SAPP is against dirty coal ...more Coal's Assault on Human Health Coal pollutants affect all major body organ systems and contribute to four of the five leading causes of mortality in the U.S.: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases. This conclusion emerges from our reassessment of the widely recognized health threats from coal. Each step of the coal lifecycle-mining, transportation, washing, combustion, and disposing of post combustion wastes-impacts human health. Coal combustion in particular contributes to diseases affecting large portions of the U.S. population, including asthma, lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke, compounding the major public health challenges of our time. It interferes with lung development, increases the risk of heart attacks, and compromises intellectual capacity. Oxidative stress and inflammation are indicated as possible mechanisms in the exacerbation and development of many of the diseases under review. In addition, the report addresses another, less widely recognized health threat from coal: the contribution of coal combustion to global warming, and the current and predicted health effects of global warming...more Jul 27, 2010 - Sabah coal-fired plant 'far from eco-friendly' Jul 23, 2010 - British environmentalist leads fight against Sabah coal plant Jul 17, 2010 - Hundreds gather at site for proposed coal-plant Jul 17, 2010 - MP calls govt's bluff over coal power Jul 16, 2010 - Chua urges protection of biodiversity in Sabah Jul 06, 2010 - Green Surf wants coal plant scrapped Jun 15, 2010 - Parliament to debate Sabah's coal power May 18, 2010 - Sabah says No to coal! Apr 21, 2010 - Sabah, a dumping ground for dirty coal Dec 15, 2009 - Chua: Q&A on power plants at parliament Dec 15, 2009 - Commitment an irony, claims SAPP Dec 01, 2009 - Chua: Terms of reference on EIA Nov 29, 2009 - Groups express concern over report on coal-fired plant Nov, 27, 2009 - How important is Bakun power to Peninsular Malaysia? Nov 25, 2009 - BN flip flops again! Nov 18, 2009 - Melanie engages in verbal spat over coal plant Nov 17, 2009 - Sabah's Objection to the building of Coal Power Plant Nov 16, 2009 - Sabah assembly: Coal-fired plant against green policy Nov 15, 2009 - SAPP: Coal plant idea not supported by public Nov 13, 2009 - China eyes closing coal-fired power plants in capital Nov 13, 2009 - Dirty Coal Power Nov 9, 2009 - SAPP: Coal power plant at Tungku tainted with power abuse Nov 9, 2009 - China eyes closing coal-fired power plants in capital Oct 27, 2009 - Power from West-East Coast Grid only by end 2013 Oct 21, 2009 - Ulterior motive on the coal fired power plant Oct 19, 2009 - Power entity should be under state gov't Sep 13, 2009 - Chua: Extend National Energy Commission to Sabah Aug 19, 2009 - People's cries falling on deaf ears Aug 16, 2009 - Stop holding the people to ransom over power supply problem Aug 12, 2009 - Enough! Stop Power Disruptions in Tawau Jul 30, 2009 - National Green Technology Policy the way forward for renewable energy Jun 24, 2009 - Birth defects in China's Shanxi show human price of coal Jun 23, 2009 - SAPP to Raymond: Don't insult Sandakan folks Jun 17, 2009 - WWF opposes coal plant wherever sited in Sabah May 30, 2009 - SAPP Yes to gas-powered but No to coal-fired plant May 26, 2009 - Sabah discriminated by BN government May 18, 2009 - Sapp says no to coal-fired plant again Apr 30, 2009 - Supply Sarawak power to Sabah and not Indonesia or Brunei Feb 19, 2009 - SAPP welcomes assurance, calls for gas-powered plant for Sandakan Feb 18, 2009 - SAPP to continue its campaign against coal plant Feb 17, 2009 - Tennessee Coal spill and destruction Feb 16, 2009 - SAPP's objection of coal-fired plants in Sabah Feb 15, 2009 - Yong shows up at anti-coal protest Dec 24, 2008 - Alternative Power Plants Dec 24, 2008 - Economic reasons over Health and Environmental concerns Nov 13, 2008 - Scrap coal-fired plant in Sekong Oct 07, 2008 - Don't force the coal plant on Sandakan Nov 06, 2000 - Tenaga eyeing renewable energy - Blowing Hot Air or Talking Bull? State's sovereign rights on oil .... Jul 01, 2010: Questions on Blocks L & M not fully answered Jun 25, 2010: Murky oil blocks deal could cost Sabah billions of ringgit Jun 11, 2010: Is Maritime District 14 a Malaysian maritime territory? Jun 07, 2010: Edward: People deserve to know what happened May 12, 2010: Dullie to Mojigoh: Who are you helping? May 12, 2010: Be honest about oil blocks, Kitingan tells govt May 10, 2010: SAPP: The fact speaks for itself May 05, 2010: SAPP news in FreeMalaysiaToday May 05, 2010: Malaysians only found out via NYSE: Yong May 04, 2010: Sabah rights and interests have been sacrificed May 04, 2010: Oil blocks deal: Huge financial loss to Sabah May 03, 2010: SAPP: Ceding of blocks L and M to Brunei unconstitutional May 02, 2010: Najib: M'sia, Brunei border talks will lead to a win-win solution Apr 30, 2010: Statement by Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on two oil exploration fields Apr 30, 2010: Abdullah says cabinet approved boundary pact with Brunei Apr 30, 2010: Pak Lah gave 'RM320b oil rich areas' to Brunei Apr 29, 2010: Malaysia's generosity by Dr Mahathir Nov 23, 2008: Oil royalty: SAPP not giving up Nov 20, 2008: Oil Royalty Warrants Review Stop the Coal-fired Power Plant in Sandakan.... Destruction of famous tourist attraction sites Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre Kinabatangan Ramsar Site, Sukau Resorts Island Resorts off Sandakan, Selingan Turtle Island...