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Monday, October 6, 2008

No to Coal Power Plant

Source : http://vixa.com/openlettersandakan.html and please give us your support by signing the petition.

An open letter from Sandakan.

From KL to Sandakan on Air-Asia is a fast 2 plus hours and one is ready to enjoy friendly hospitality, fresh-seafood and the embrace of mother nature. On our MAS, Malaysia's National Carrier it takes a bit longer - 2 hops and almost a day. Besides seafood, Sandakan is also well known to Westerners as the sanctuary for Oran Utan, Proboscis monkeys and endangered Turtles (on Turtle Island). To Australians, Sandakan is known for her War Memorial dedicated to our Aussie heroes marched to their death in WW2. To be fair, Sandakan was also captured in a less known Japanese "B" movie of the same name. She is also home to the famous American writer Agnes Keith who once lived here with her family and was inspired to write of her experiences about the Land under the wind. Her house now stands as a tourist attraction show-casing how the whites lived in paradise as it was then (after the Government spend millions fixing the old home at the hill top). Even books were written about the non-white inhabitants - The Towkays of Sabah - better known for clan rivalry to exploiting timber trade. Setting aside its historical moments, Sandakan always stood as a refuge for us who have made it our home since grandpa's time, all stood proud when she was crowned with the Title - Nature City, a first in Malaysia.

In early 2008, Sandakan woke up to the prospect of hosting a 300 MW Coal powered plant at her door-steps, courtesy of the Government and the Sabah Electricity S/B (subsidiary of Tenaga Bhd).This Coal powered plant was earlier rejected by Lahad Datu (a nearby town) because it might endanger or damage Meliau Basin and its prehistoric flora/fauna. If the Government have their way with Sabah Electricity, they will put a 300 MW Coal powered plant in Sandakan and more specifically (though unconfirmed) in the Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) which is situated a stone throw from two housing estates (towards north) and to the forest reserves for Oran Utan (towards west). Sandakan town sits a close 14 km to the east.

A group of businessmen (from Chinese Chambers of Commerce) have been tirelessly opposing this and have gathered over 30,000 signatures from the locals. To be fair, they have even toured other Coal powered plants in Malaysia and they are firm on rejecting the Coal powered plant which speaks volume considering their street smart dealings in spotting opportunities and characters. However more importantly, the health reason is well known due to its inherent danger of micro-particles which are trappable in the lungs of the vulnerable young and old.

Interestingly this throws up TWO questions which are why COAL and WHY in Sandakan? What did Sandakan do or did not do to deserve this ? No responses from the relevant authorities to date to answer the call for Coal or Sandakan or both. In fact the only response from them (Sabah Electricity S/B) is a rhetorical reply asking the public to present other viable alternatives to their liking if this Coal powered plant is to be questioned. Great, this already tells volume of the EIA report which by the way is not even ready. For the uninitiated, Coal powered plants are well studied and well known to be the least favorable option of all the alternatives even with the soaring costs of other alternatives. For example SierrraClub provides a link to show how bad it is http://www.sierraclub.org/coal/ and that is only the surface. With information at our finger tips, our leaders must think we are slow or unassuming and we so easily cowed by their irresponsiveness, as a sign of their strength or ignorance ?

Be that as it may, Sabah (the State) in fact has voluminous off shore gas (if they had not already pre-sold to the Japanese by Petronas- since no one is saying) and this should be considered the better alternative requires little mental effort. In fact, a combination of gas, biodiesel, solar (being in the tropics) and biomass should be considered given Sandakan is the uncrown palm oil capital of Malaysia. Anyone with some common sense could see Coal is not the answer to problematic electricity problem. In fact, this was the first excuse the Sabah Electricity S/B gave to pacify the population. It is no secret that the main issue with blackouts in Sandakan has to do with maintenance and the lack of it, as stated by a former Minister who was also a former employee. It is often that after a heavy downpour the electricity goes out because some trees fell and tripped the lines. There are unconfirmed rumors that equipment used in the current power plant are reconditioned from other states which may partially explain its dire state. After all, Sandakan is still the record holder with the most blackouts in Malaysia but we don't really mind given the alternative. Dinner by candle lights ? Blackouts give more quality time with family watching fireflies instead of TV or playing computer games. Some tourists that I know were delighted because they had not experienced a blackout before. Fancy that.

Why Sandakan ? Most cities in Sabah are connected by a national power grid which means one can have the Coal powered plant plugged anywhere on the grid. Logically, this could be at a site of most opportune (read cheap) and logistically convenient. I assume the Coal powered plant will be located at the POIC but to be fair no official announcement on this has been made to date. The POIC is a 1000 acs development to enhance the Palm Oil Industry. The proponent has a website here http://www.sawitpoic.com/ and is offering RM 12 (US 3.64) per square feet. A typical Coal powered plant will take up at least 300 acs of land with a further 100 acs for its waste (ash). But who are the real proponents of the POIC ? In fact, the entire POIC was acquired through the infamous Land Acquisitions Ordinance of Sabah and some of the former owners are already complaining in Court. So who else have so much power in this State besides the Chief Minister ? Well, that will be the Yang Di-Pertua Negeri or Governor but the Constitution of Sabahonly allows him to act on advice (but whose advice?). With a stroke of a pen he declared over 100 landowners' land to be acquired for POIC under "public purposes". Those with financial backing will contest else will have to accept whatever compensation by the State (however distasteful) which may come only at the State's convenience (read - years from now).

Finally, the Local Council (in Malaysia local councilors are unelected and positioned by their political masters) is trying to rezone the entire area designated for POIC from preservation of hilltop to special industrial (an unknown term), a process which actually requires public participation-feedback from the displaced landowners under the Town and Country Planning Ordinance. So far no notice was published in the newspaper or gazetted for this rezoning. I was informed that this was not required as its rezoning is by an 'amendment' to a previous Sandakan Draft Plan 2003. Sounds a bit controversial to me. For some understanding of Sabah law goto www.sabahlaw.com.

So at the end of the day or night wherever you may be, I hope you will put in a word or two for us in opposing this monstrosity and be disgusted in the manner how this was forced upon us, not forgetting how this will definitely and positively add more carbon dioxide to the environment, affecting our climate (yes yours too) and probably causing us to be homeless due to rising sea-levels. Yes, we will miss our seafood or blackouts but we do not have any choices as mere citizenry. But you have choices, please write to the Prime Minister of Malaysia (if he is willing to listen) http://www.pmo.gov.my/, and complaint about the Chief Minister of Sabah and the proponent (http://www.sesb.com.my/) or vote on this http://www.PetitionOnline.com/sootcity/petition.html.

Do give a thought for our environment. It is yours too (when you come visit).

From Chris Kwan
Hope,Faith & Charity
3 Oct 2008

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good Day..

Let me clarify things that you have thrown in your blog about the power plant in Sandakan.

Two questions taht you raised up here is because of certain things.. Before I give some thoughts for you about against coal power plant, let me tell you about the electricity situation in Sabah..

Most of the power plant in Sabah are located at the west coast of Sabah esp. in area around KK.. And the only connection that link electricity between West Coast of Sabah and east coast of Sabah is East West Grid which only start its operation early this year. And the relaibility of electricity in East Coast Sabah is one of the worse in Malaysia..

So, in order to solve the electricity problem in Sabah, another power plant is needed there esp. in East Coast area.. That's why Lahad Datu was chosen first..

Before you criticize about pollution that the coal power plant will release, do you know Sandakan is currently gets its power from old Oil power plant? And this power station had been there for nearly 20 years and the pollution that it realease are far more worse than what the coal power plant can do..

The plan is once the coal power plant is in operation, the old pollute rich power plant will be retired..

To the blame solely on SESB is totally absurd.. this is one of the plan that SESB had been drawn up to overcome the electricity problem in Sabah. I'm pretty sure that most of the info that you get is a biased info and i'm not suprise to see that you became one..

Speaking of Sabah gas-rich state.. All of the gas from sabah are situated at the West Coast.. to build a gas pipeline from West Coast to the East Coast particularly Sandakan is insane.. nobody in this world would fork out that much of money just to catter the electricity needs in East Coast or for just 300MW power plant.. maybe you have that kind of money..

I'm partially agree that the electicity problem in Sabah is because of lack maintenance from SESB.. lack of source of power is more correct actually..

Speaking about solar panel.. For your information, to generate 4kW, you need 4 solar panels.. and each solar panels cost you RM25,000 in Malaysia.. About biodiesel.. its really funny when this is suggestes because there is no proof that Malaysia's biodisel is workable to generate power.. besides, its pollute too.. maybe far worse than coal..

Speaking about carbon dioxide, you've been inhaling it for the past 20 years from the old oil power plant.. and maybe you should try to look into the internet about clean coal technology.. it just a suggestion..

As you said that the about the EIA report.. there a lots of EIA study done by various party.. and i'm not sure how many study is needed to satisfy the need.. and most of them would say its ok if coal power plant is built there.. the amount of hazardarous gaseous that will be release is below that standard set by international body and DOE.. it just an ignorance from certain party to admit about it.. And definitely it is a political play from certain quaters to look likes that they are championing the people.. its sadden me.. So, please and please do your extensive study first abot this matter.. Instead saying some people are ignorance, actually those who against it are ignorance..

Thank you..

Anonymous said...

Firstly, you fail to understand the meaning of a grid which means the power sourced can be on anywhere on the grid and the power will come to Sandakan. Most of the power now actually comes from the west coast of Sabah hence there is no need to build one in Sandakan is proven. Also why 300 MW when the entire Sabah used almost that now and most industries are in West ? Secondly, it is not insane to build a gas-pine from west to east. There is another proposal to pipe gas to Sarawak which is even longer. The Solar panels issues are expensive no doubt but prices are coming down because I know where to source and there is a company www.nanosolar.com who can make it even cheaper than your price. In fact, i am thinking of cluster cells instead of one point of power. I am thinking of solar friendly buildings as most electricity is consumed by buildigs (air-con etc) And please for godness sake, biodiesel has been proven long ago man, go to any of the oil palm mill and see. You must live on another planet. Furthermore as I say why in POIC, can be in Tawau or KK or Kudat, that is the whole issue and why Coal ? The dirty petrol (not oil) powered station is bad but at least it does not have so much toxicity found in coal man, read the facts and be wise, coal is no option is a death sentence to any town. If you love it so much, get enough signatures from your town and send it to Musa, he will he jumping for joy.

About EIA reports, man I usead to teach EIA in University man, I known the procedure inside out and I can tell you DOE leave a lot of the hazardous gas out unmeasured and it could be evaded by putting the exhaust high up so the dispersion is very fine to limit the detection. However, the way our lungs work is different from a detecting machine (assuming it works -sensitive), we simly will be killed slowly.

CK

Anonymous said...

Hmm.. the grid in Sandakan totally unreliable.. you see, if the 300MW power plant built on the east coast of Sabah, it will help the system there.. have you ever studied about grid? or you just just knew by reading wikipedia..? there is a need of doing islanding for East Coast of Sabah because if a problem ocurred at the West Coast Sabah, it wont affect the whole Sabah particularly East Coast.. Maybe you have failed to see this.. that's why the plant is needed there..

For your information, the only grid that connects West Coast and East Coast Grid is the EAST WEST GRID which can only supply maximum 80MW whereby East Coast need more than 400MW in the near future.. Reading from comments shows that you dont know anything about Grid System at all.. You absolutely fail to see the system overall..

I still feel that it insane to built a pipe line there because the Petronas proposal for pipeline to Sarawak is along the coastline while built a pipeline through mountains to Sandakan will definitely insane.. besides, whos gonna bear the cost..? definitely not Sabah State gov. right? maybe you..? The reason why Petronas built the pipeline to Sarawak because it is business viable..

How do you know that dirty petrol is better than clean coal technology..? care to explain this man..? give proves bout this man.. remember.. it is clean coal technology.. not normal coal power plan.. and please do comparison with 20++ years old oil power plant emission.. there are technologies out there man.. i hope you have heard what technologies are..? the reason why people against it because there insufficient information for the people and the media and politician tend to be biased..

Since you have been work teaching EIA, so is the UN standard is not applicable..? So, you are saying that DOE isn't doing their job properly..? i wonder how can you be alive till now..? If the DOE isn't doing their job properly, maybe you already dead choking with the emmissions..

Its not bout love the coal plant.. but it is way better than oil palnt that you have now.. please realise it.. afterall, you are an EIA teacher..

Thank you

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