Waste firm is experienced, maintains KL mayor

KL mayor Ahmad Phesal Talib today denied that any foul play was involved in choosing Umpan Jaya Sdn Bhd, a poorly-performing contractor, to manage the Taman Beringin waste transfer station.

Umpan Jaya was faulted on Saturday as tonnes of rubbish were dumped along the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) by contractors’ trucks because the Taman Beringin transfer station in Kepong was closed. Opposition DAP MP Ong Kian Ming questioned why Umpan Jaya, which he said “lacked experience”, was given the job.

“This is an old story,” Ahmad told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) headquarters. “I believe we have chosen a credible contractor in Umpan Jaya. They have credible experience in managing waste before in Penang, in the whole of Seberang Perai,” he said.

Umpan Jaya Sdn Bhd was owned by Mohd Noordin Mohd Kassim and his family. Mohd Noordin is the former Umno Batu Kawan division chief who passed away in February 2013. 

Ahmad said perhaps Mohd Noordin’s passing had affected the company but he took serious note of the complaints against the company, which has operated  the transfer station since 2011. 

“We can’t rubbish the rubbish business,” Ahmad said. 

He said that since last year when such “internal management” problems such as poor compactor machine management and lack of maintenance of garbage trucks started cropping up, he has been pushing for a solution. But he stopped short of saying that Umpan Jaya would be replaced.

“We would look closely again at the terms and conditions of the contract. I can’t give an answer now,” Ahmad said when asked what DBKL would do to Umpan Jaya.

Serdang MP Ong has meanwhile urged Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan to disclose the cost of the management contract and that the government use an open tender to find the next contractor.

Mayor Ahmad earlier presented KL’s budget for 2014 and he noted that RM63 million will be allocated for waste transfer from Taman Beringin to Bukit Tagar Sanitary landfills in 2014. 

He estimated that 2,500-2,6000 tonnes of solid waste were managed per day and the cost per tonne had recently gone up by almost RM20 to RM49 per tonne.

Alam Flora Sdn Bhd is the main contractor used to ferry the rubbish from the city of nearly 2 million people.