19/1/06 Kota Kinabalu (Daily Express) - The State Cabinet has given Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat the green light to discuss with the Federal Government a proposal to ban palm oil mills from discharging effluents into rivers.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said the decision was made after the Cabinet was briefed by Chong, who is also a Deputy Chief Minister, who had called for a total ban of such practice.

"We have asked him to submit an application to the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry (for further consideration)," he said after chairing the Cabinet meeting at Wisma Innoprise in Likas, Wednesday.

He said Chong had made a surprise visit to a palm oil refinery mill at Segaliud about 70km from Sandakan following reports that it was blatantly discharging effluents into a nearby river.

It was reported that the Department of Environment (DoE) allowed refinery mills to discharge waste within a permissible level. Chong was reported saying that regardless of the volume of waste dumped, it would definitely affect river quality. Musa said the mill concerned was already instructed to stop discharging the waste.

Mills are supposed to construct special ponds to treat effluents before releasing the rest to rivers but it was learnt that this was hardly being practised by the mills.

"It (the mill) will not be shut down but there are other better ways for the waste to be disposed of properly such as those implemented by a company, Sime Darby, also in Sandakan," he said.

He said the State Government hoped all mills in Sabah would be eco-friendly and emulate the approach taken by Sime Darby in handling the wastes efficiently.

Musa said the matter was serious because the waste discharged into the waters had polluted the river, affecting the livelihood of people who depend on it for water supply.

"So far, we have not received any reports but with the river water discoloured and turning to black, it might be contaminated and we are worried that it will affect the health of the people living in the area," he said.

During the visit, Chong had also instructed the State Environmental Conservation Department to collect samples from the plantation to test for contamination.

The rejection of the proposed Regional Development Authority (RDA) was discussed in detail by the State Cabinet before it was brought up the State Legislative Assembly.

"So there's no need for us to prolong the issue," said CM Datuk Musa, adding it was better that the issue is kept short and not highlighted too much.

He was asked whether the State Government might reconsider the decision, following a statement by BN component Upko that it would urge the State Government to reconsider the rejection of the RM700 million federal aid to improve socio-economic conditions in the poverty areas.

Musa said his deputy, Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, had explained the matter at length to the elected representatives during the Budget sitting last year, stessing that the State Cabinet and State Assembly are two important bodiesin the State and whose decision should be taken seriously and respected.

Leaders from Ranau where the RDA concept was said to have been approved, in principle, by the Federal government for implementation in the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), had came out questioning the move.

Upko Sec-Gen. Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau, believed it was rejected due to confusion.

Pairin had argued that existing state and federal agencies were capable of bringing development to the areas concerned whether through in-situ approaches or Resource Base and New Land Development like the MoU signing with Felcra to develop a 450-hectare site in Pulau Banggi for rubber.

"The State Government is actually the real the regional development authority and it has the right machinery and agencies to implement whatever programmes based on the allocation.

"Hence, he said RM58 million channeled annually (average fund channeled to the RDAs in peninsula like Kejora, Ketengah, Kesedar, Kedah, Perda, Dara and Jengka) can be channeled directly to the State Government," he said.

Musa said the State Government welcomed the proposal to bring in the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) to Sabah if it was beneficial to the small holders.

"So far we never stopped any (Federal) agencies from coming into Sabah just like Felcra, which had been helping in the cooperative fields," he said.

Musa, who is also Finance Minister, was asked to comment on the statement by Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin that the Federal government was willing to bring in Risda to help expand the Prosperous Mini Estate (Mesej) programme in Sabah.

Mesej is aimed at eradicating poverty and diversifying export produce, which the State government hope can help in achieving the target of zero-poverty by 2009.

Abdul Aziz said Risda's capability in introducing Boer goats to smallholders in the Peninsula could helpful in the implementation of Mesej, which was launched by Pairin's Ministry early this year.