[By ELAN PERUMAL and CHOONG MEK ZHIN, The Star Metro]
Alam Flora’s services are now under scrutiny and the state is working with the local authorities to improve on complaints.
THE Selangor Government has no plans to terminate the services of Alam Flora Sdn Bhd despite talk that this could happen.
However, the state feels that there is much to be done in terms of technicalities if the Federal government wishes to implement the Solid Waste Management Act 2007.
While the services of Alam Flora contractors are being scrutinised by the local authorities, state environment committee chairman Elizabeth Wong said the state had not made any decision to terminate the services of the solid waste management company.
She said Alam Flora had come under a lot of criticism due to ineffecient services provided by its contractors and the local authorities had the right to deal with the situation.
She also said there had been instances where the services of Alam Flora contractors had been terminated by the local authorities.
“The action taken by the local authorities should not be miscontrued as the state planning to terminate Alam Flora’s services.
“We are working closely with the local authorities to improve waste management services in their respective areas,” Wong said.
According to her, Alam Flora provided its services to 11 of the 12 local authorities in Selangor.
She said the Hulu Selangor District Council had refused to sign an agreement with Alam Flora from the very beginning.
“The council has its own garbage recycling centre and is able to manage its waste in a moderate way,” Wong explained.
She also said that the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) was carrying out a dry run to see how it could provide more efficient garbage management services in the municipality.
She said Kajang was unique as it had a wider area of coverage and faced a lot problems with garbage management.
“It has a number of illegal garbage disposal centres.
“This has led the council to try out something different in its bid to resolve the situation,” she said.
Wong also said the state was unhappy over several key issues related to the implementation of the Solid Waste Management Act.
She said there were many grey areas that needed to be addressed, especially the type of services to be offered by Alam Flora.
“The Federal Government wants Alam Flora to take over everything including grass-cutting and beach-cleaning services.
“We want to know how services like these are under the ambit of the Act,” she said.
Meanwhile, an official from Alam Flora said the company had no final say in the appointment of the contractors.
“We submit a list of contractors to the local authorities and they are the ones who make the appointments.
“They will update us with the list of the appointed contractors and we do the monitoring,” he said, adding that Alam Flora received between four and five percent as management fees for its role.
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