SANDAKAN: A thorough and detailed study is needed before any decision on the power generation using coal in Sabah proposed by the Federal Government is made, said the state Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister Stephen Wong.
He said better alternatives, such as gas resources, could be tapped to generate power here, compared to coal.
The Sandakan member of parliament said the proposed coal power plant was previously rejected by the Sabahans and environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for its negative impact on the environment.
“The people should not worry as the proposal by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to utilise coal reserves in Sabah for electricity generation would require further research. We (state government) have not discussed about this.
“I am among those who do not want to see coal power plant built in this state. For me, it is not a good alternative.
“If there is such a necessity, there need to be more studies and we need to see other resources as well as alternatives,” he told reporters after launching the constituency’s service centre and DAP special team here, today.
The previous government had in 2011 announced that they would scrap any plans for coal power projects, which was earlier proposed to be carried out at Sabah’s east coast.
Wong said coal had not been proven to be a cheaper resource compared to others as it depended on global pricing.
“We need to see the impact (of using coal) as we do not want the nature threatened and our eco-tourism destroyed,” said Wong.
On the launching of DAP’s special team, Wong said the group of 50 members was formed to assist the people in the district on issues such as natural disasters as well as general cleanliness.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal had said the state government would carry out in-dept studies on both the use of coal and gas for power supply, as there were new technologies to process coal that was not detrimental to environment.