Contary to what its Johor chief Chua Jui Meng says, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim paints a different picture.
FULL REPORT
KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Rakyat clarified that it is not rejecting outright the Petronas Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid) in Pengerang, Johor, but rather its implementation, which is said to affect the livelihood of residents there.
“We have had some confusion over this matter, and our combined decision policy-wise is that we do not reject any development, but the implementation of Rapid has gone against our principles,” Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim told reporters after chairing the weekly Pakatan leadership council meeting.
Anwar explained that Pakatan simply wanted a stop work order on the Rapid project, pending the settlement of several issues.
“We need a re-settlement plan that is fair, you don’t demolish existing villages and graveyards. We also have to ensure safety and environment. The Detailed Environment Impact Assessment was not fully observed…,” he said.
Anwar’s clarification comes after PKR Johor chief Chua Jui Meng vowed during a protest in Pengerang that Pakatan would abolish the RM60 billion project should it come into power after the next general election, a stance apparently not shared by all of his Pakatan allies.
“There is an alternative site available, why are you going ahead with it now? They are still destroying exiting villages. We are not confident with the health studies. This project must be postponed,” Anwar said.
Chua, while addressing some 3,000-strong crowd during the Himpunan Hijau Lestari in Pengerang on Sept 30, had said a Pakatan federal government would not allow the petro-chemical project to continue.
“Anwar (Ibrahim) has asked me to convey this message to everyone here today, that we will reject the project and rebuild the livelihood of the locals ,” he told the cheering protesters.
Chua also had said the decision was made in PKR’s political bureau meeting chaired by Anwar.
While PKR had made the strong stand against the project previously, PAS in the meantime had said that it was not against the project as long as it did not affect the local villagers.
Pakatan’s latest stand on the project is not expected to sit well with the local residents who want the petro-chemical project to be stopped.
Review AES
Meanwhile, Anwar said that Pakatan was also proposing that the Automated Enforcement System (AES) go through a review.
“For the AES, we don’t want something that burdens the rakyat and benefits cronies,” he said.
His views were echoed by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and PAS Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar.
“There are many areas where I have observed that these cameras are not placed at accident hotspots but more like traps purposely to make money. We want the government to review the agreement with these contractors,” said Mahfuz.
FULL REPORT
KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Rakyat clarified that it is not rejecting outright the Petronas Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid) in Pengerang, Johor, but rather its implementation, which is said to affect the livelihood of residents there.“We have had some confusion over this matter, and our combined decision policy-wise is that we do not reject any development, but the implementation of Rapid has gone against our principles,” Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim told reporters after chairing the weekly Pakatan leadership council meeting.
Anwar explained that Pakatan simply wanted a stop work order on the Rapid project, pending the settlement of several issues.
“We need a re-settlement plan that is fair, you don’t demolish existing villages and graveyards. We also have to ensure safety and environment. The Detailed Environment Impact Assessment was not fully observed…,” he said.
Anwar’s clarification comes after PKR Johor chief Chua Jui Meng vowed during a protest in Pengerang that Pakatan would abolish the RM60 billion project should it come into power after the next general election, a stance apparently not shared by all of his Pakatan allies.
“There is an alternative site available, why are you going ahead with it now? They are still destroying exiting villages. We are not confident with the health studies. This project must be postponed,” Anwar said.
Chua, while addressing some 3,000-strong crowd during the Himpunan Hijau Lestari in Pengerang on Sept 30, had said a Pakatan federal government would not allow the petro-chemical project to continue.
“Anwar (Ibrahim) has asked me to convey this message to everyone here today, that we will reject the project and rebuild the livelihood of the locals ,” he told the cheering protesters.
Chua also had said the decision was made in PKR’s political bureau meeting chaired by Anwar.
While PKR had made the strong stand against the project previously, PAS in the meantime had said that it was not against the project as long as it did not affect the local villagers.
Pakatan’s latest stand on the project is not expected to sit well with the local residents who want the petro-chemical project to be stopped.
Review AES
Meanwhile, Anwar said that Pakatan was also proposing that the Automated Enforcement System (AES) go through a review.
“For the AES, we don’t want something that burdens the rakyat and benefits cronies,” he said.
His views were echoed by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and PAS Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar.
“There are many areas where I have observed that these cameras are not placed at accident hotspots but more like traps purposely to make money. We want the government to review the agreement with these contractors,” said Mahfuz.
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