GEORGE TOWN – It is unclear if the Pulau Burung landfill operator’s contract will be terminated following the worst landfill fire in the state last week.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow remained coy when asked about the possible action the government will take.
He added that the government will present the incident report at an exco meeting on Wednesday before a decision is made on Syarikat PLB Terang Sdn Bhd.
“We could terminate the company’s contract, but waste management is a complicated matter.
The decision to terminate the contract cannot be made in a hurry. It requires proper planning,” he said when met by reporters here today.
Yesterday, The Vibes reported nearly half of the Seberang Prai Selatan district here has been blanketed by a thick plume of smoke due to the Pulau Burung landfill fire that began Wednesday.
The thick smoke originating from the dumpsite can be clearly seen within a radius of 10km, which resulted in air pollution following the hot weather spell that hit Penang recently.
Chow said Syarikat PLB Terang Sdn Bhd had been selected as the landfill operator for more than five years and had a 21-year contract with the state government.
He said the Seberang Prai City Council had also issued several notices against the operator company for not completing the mandatory scheduled work.
When I was the former local government exco, I often visited Pulau Burung, and it was indeed in an unsatisfactory state.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Environment and Water Minister Datuk Mansor Othman said action will be taken against the management company of the landfill if it is found to be non-compliant with the regulations set by the authorities.
He said investigations are ongoing, and the ministry is awaiting the report.
The Environment Department (DoE) will monitor this matter closely. We will also ensure that the operator company complies with the rules and regulations,” said the Nibong Tebal MP.
State DoE director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab confirmed that the operator company had been compounded several times for open burning, with the latest being last year.
She added that the company is facing court action related to the waste management case.
“We will investigate this matter under Section 34A of the Environmental Quality Act 1974. At the same time, the site also needs to take long-term remedial measures so that it does not recur.” – The Vibes, January 17, 2022
