KUALA LUMPUR — Environmentalists on Tuesday condemned a plan to build a coal-fired power plant on Malaysian Borneo, saying it will harm the island's fragile coral reefs and rainforests.
A male flanged orangutan hangs from a tree in Malaysian Borneo's Sabah State |
The 300-megawatt plant in Lahad Datu, in the east of Sabah state, will face the Coral Triangle which is one of the world's most biodiverse marine environments.
The area, which spans the seas around East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and the Solomon Islands, is home to 75 percent of all known coral species.
The opposition is led by Green Surf, a coalition of groups including the Malaysian Nature Society, which says the proposal will displace villagers and threaten endangered species including orangutans and Bornean rhinos.
"There is deep concern globally about the proposal to build a 300-megawatt plant in Sabah which is known for its orangutan, rhinos and renowned marine sites like Sipadan," said Cynthia Ong from Green Surf.
"We are saying no to the coal plant. Borneo is a bio-diversified hotspot, and it will have an impact on the coral reefs," she told AFP.
News reports said construction of the 1.7 billion ringgit (532 million dollar) power plant could start in mid-2011 if government approval is granted. The station could begin operating in two years.
Masidi Manjun, minister for tourism, culture and environment in Sabah, said the coal plant would meet local electricity demands and help drive economic growth.
"One of the problems in Sabah is insufficient power to fuel growth. Sabah is facing a severe under-capacity of energy," he said.
The government will "make a decision soon" but will listen to suggestions from the public, he added.
The plant is the latest energy project to stir controversy in Borneo. The vast Bakun dam in neighbouring Sarawak which saw swathes of rainforest cleared and thousands of indigenous people displaced also drew intense criticism.
Sabah and Sarawak states make up Malaysia's half of Borneo island, which is shared with Indonesia.
Solar panels sit on the roof of SunPower Corporation in Richmond, California March 18, 2010. (Credit: Reuters/Kim White)
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