MUKAH: Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem yesterday slammed certain quarters, especially the opposition, for accusing Press Metal Sarawak’s factory near here of causing pollution to both the people and the environment.
He said if the opposition’s accusation was true, it could cause the factory to close down and its workers, numbering some 800, to lose their jobs.
“I have received the report from the DOE Sarawak that Press Metal Sarawak’s factory here has passed its test in ambient air quality, water surface monitoring, ventilation system, noise pollution. This monitoring is carried out in every three months.
“The result of the report from 2012 till now has passed that requirement set by the national environmental quality monitoring standard.
“That means this factory has passed those stringent environmental quality standard by DOE,” Adenan said when addressing Press Metal Sarawak staff at its factory near here yesterday.
He told those present especially the workers that they should not listen to the claims made by the opposition as they were not the experts in environment.
“Who do they think they are? I want to prove to you people that these people are liars. And not only liars, they want you to lose your jobs,” warned Adenan.
Adenan, who is also the Minister of Resource Planning and Environment, pointed out that besides being monitored by DOE, the factory must also undergo an environmental audit.
“The environmental audit is carried out by Jururunding Konsultant, a third party, to make a yearly report on the factory,” he said.
In view of that, the chief Minister asserted that the factory has passed both the scientific and technology reports.
“And I have the authority from the State Medical Department that it has not received any health report which is directly affected by operations of this factory
.
“In other words, there is no connection between any disease with this factory. This is acknowledged by both the Mukah Division medical officer and the state health director. This is confirmed by doctors who know their business.”
With the report which he read before them, Adenan urged the people to reject the opposition and advised them to vote for BN candidate Yussibnosh Balo.
“They are just out for your jobs. And I have proven to you that they are liars. Now you tell me. You want to lose your jobs or you want to stay here? If you want to stay here you know what to do.
“And tell your family. Tell the whole people of Balingian. And for those of you who are voting in Balingian, go with your wives and children and vote on March 29 against those who want you to lose your jobs, who are liars,” he stressed.
Telling Iban leaders from Balingian present at the event that they had heard the truth about the matter direct from him, he urged them to reject the opposition.
Meanwhile, during a meet-the-people-session at Kpg Teh Mukah, Adenan advised the people there to remain united despite their religious differences.
“We should continue to practise what we believe in, whether we are Christians or Muslims so that we can continue with our development agenda. For instance, we should not quarrel about Allah. For us here in Sarawak, there is no problem at all,” he added.
- originally posted in Borneo Post, 27 March 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment