Perak has remained insistent that it will not “sign up” for the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Act until all ambiguities are cleared up.
“We have raised issues like to what extent they can assure that we will get better services if we sign up and the terms of agreement,” Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said.
The state, he said, was still waiting for the Housing and Local Government Ministry-appointed concessionaire to revert to it about its concerns.
“Their action of closing down their office here does not augur well,” he said, noting that the state had yet to hear from the concessionaire.
The last time the state dealt with the concessionaire was a “couple of months back”, he said after a Meet-the-People Day here yesterday.
Dr Zambry, who described himself as a tough negotiator, said he only had the people’s interest at heart.
”I do not want the public to suffer,” he said. The Act came into effect on Sept 1.
Perak, along with Penang and Selangor, have decided to opt out.
Kedah, Perlis, Pahang, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Johor, Negri Sembilan and Malacca have agreed to hand over the management of their solid waste to three companies appointed by the ministry.
Meanwhile, Ipoh Ratepayers and Taxpayers Association (Irata) deputy president Victor Sankey is seeking clarification from the state government on whether the solid waste management services under the Act would be adopted in the state in the near future.
He said previous news reports on the matter were sketchy.
This, he said, had left ratepayers wondering why negotiations between the concessionaire and the state administration had abruptly broken down.
“While ratepayers realise that the state administration is zealous in wishing to safeguard consumer interests, Irata urges the mentri besar to keep us well informed,” he said.
