Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul has refuted claims from local residents that imported plastic waste processing factories continue to operate in the area unlawfully.
Johari opined that protesters possessed “inaccurate” facts and disputed that his constituents were involved in a Sept 21 rally about the issue.
“They are not residents, but a group of people, activists. They are not Sungai Petani people,” he said when asked during a press conference in parliament yesterday evening.
Based on information from the local Department of Environment officers and local council meetings, Johari said that only licensed factories were being allowed to operate.
“The Sungai Petani Municipal Council (MPSP) has allowed those that have licences and adhere to the law to operate.
“Factories that have no licences and have not fulfilled all the conditions to process (plastics) have been closed. No new licences have been allowed by the local council. That is factual.
“However, there are some stubborn factories that continue to operate. Action has been taken against them. Therefore, to say that there are factories operating with permission from certain parties is untrue,” Johari added.
The PKR lawmaker, nevertheless, believes it is the people’s right to protest, but hoped they would do so “based on the correct facts”.
Last Saturday, about 250 residents held a rally in Sungai Petani to protest against pollution caused by a factory processing imported plastic waste, which they claimed continued to run despite being sealed by MPSP on May 2.
They also claimed that the state government was considering licence applications from six such factories.
They alleged that Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin (below) had further issued approved permits to two such plants.
The ministry later confirmed that two permits were issued to two companies - Technology PP Industries (Northern) and Green Mark Technology - in Sungai Petani in August this year, after they had obtained DoE approval.
Previous attempts to obtain a response from Kedah executive councillor for Industry, Investments, Housing and Local Government Tan Kok Yew were unsuccessful.
Housing Ministry must answer
At the press conference, Johari expressed concern over the possibility of more factories processing imported plastic wastes opening up in Sungai Petani, and urged any grouses to be directed at Zuraida’s ministry.
“If this is true, I direct it to the ministry to answer. If it is not true, they should answer as well.
“This was among the reasons why they protested. The ministry should not allow any more factories to operate,” he said, adding that the MPs had no power to decide on factory approvals.
Rather than plastic waste factories, Johari urged that more attention be given to developing the agriculture and tourism sectors in Sungai Petani as these did not harm the environment.
Since mid-2018, many factories processing imported plastic wastes have opened in Sungai Petani, after China banned the import of plastic wastes. - Mkini
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