News: Investments flow into Samalaju Industrial Park

FAMILARISATION TOUR: Aloysius (fifth from right) leading the media group and Azam members to the Tokuyama plant.

FOUR companies are readying the infrastructures to build factories on an 8,000-hectare site at Samalaju Industrial Park in Bintulu.

Tokuyama Corp, Press Metal Berhad, Asia Minerals Ltd and OM Holdings Ltd (OMH) are giving local skilled and semi-skilled workers a welcome boost with a stream of road-building and water-electricity supply projects to support the industries they are setting up in the area.

The idea is to locate heavy and energy-intensive industries away from Bintulu town and the populated areas, and the site — 62km from Bintulu Central Business District and accessible via Bintulu-Miri coastal road — at Park is ideal for this, according Liang Yew Chi, Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) senior manager (development).

Making a presentation to an Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) group, led by its chief executive officer, Dato Aloysius Dris, and the local media at the project site in Samalaju under AZAM’s ‘60 minutes with the CEO’ programme, Liang said the investors were also provided with abundant resources as the area was connected directly to power transmission lines from the Bakun HEP and the Murum HEP.

He disclosed that a deep seaport, which was a prerequisite for the metal smelting industry, would also be built in Samalaju.

Aloysius later led the group on a tour of the Press Metal construction site in Bintulu and the aluminium smelting plant in Samalaju.

Earlier, the group were in Mukah together with Regional Corridor Development Authority (Recoda) chief executive officer Datuk Amar Wilson Baya Dandot. Accompanying them were Recoda’s head project manager Dawend Jiwan, its chief investment officer Kamil Daniel Yap and Bintulu Deputy Resident (development) Sirai Daha.

First foreign investor

Japan’s Tokuyama Corp — the first foreign investor at Samalaju Industrial Park — is setting up a RM2.36 billion plant to produce polycrystalline silicon for solar panels. Production is expected to come on stream next year.

According to a spokesman, the company, formed in 1918, has ventured into the production of organic and inorganic chemicals, cement, building materials, electronic materials, advanced materials, plastic resins, films and medical-related products.

As of March 31, 2011, it employed 5,493 workers and consisted of some 83 group companies.

Meanwhile, Tokuyama Malaysia Sdn Bhd was set up on Aug 18, 2009. Phase one of its plant in Samalaju is expected to produce 6,200 tonnes of industrial materials annually with 13,800 tonnes forecast for phase two.

Present at the brief presentation on the company were its Bintulu branch general manager Waichi Ide, senior officers and engineers.

Waichi said the first phase of the construction would cost about 80 billion yen (RM3.2 billion) and employ 350 local workers while phase two would cost about 130 billion yen (RM5.2 billion) and employ 250 workers.

The commercial operations will start in the second quarters of 2013 and 2014 for phases one and two respectively.

“Tokuyama chose to build a primary overseas production site in Malaysia because of the competitive cost, the abundant hydropower in Sarawak and the available cutting edge technology.

“We are targetting 10 per cent share in the poly-silicon market for PV. As pricing has become significantly more competitive, we have decided to make a big investment (accumulated US$2.6 billion) in Malaysia.

“We can survive globally with our competitive edge,” Waichi added.

The company expects to receive industrial water from the Public Works Department and LAKU in May this year and 132KV from Sesco in June.

Several phases

Press Metal Bhd, which operates an aluminium smelter plant in Mukah Division within the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) has started phase two of its expansion programme at the Park under its wholly-owned subsidiary Press Metal Bintulu Sdn Bhd.

This will be developed over several phases, and the new smelter will have an estimated production capacity of 240,000 tonnes per year.

Asia Minerals Limited (AML) is expected to be ready by May 2013 at the Park.

On the manufacturing front, AML will start ramping up first phase production in June 2013 and by June the following year, it will be able to produce 240,000 tonnes of manganese ferroalloy and ferrosilicon annually.

The second phase is scheduled to start in July 2014 and its production of ferrosilicon, silicon metal and electrolytic manganese metal ferrosilicon, silicon metal and electrolytic manganese metal is expected to reach 95,000 tonnes per year by June 2015.

In steel production, AML is planning to come up with a full range of ferroalloy and high value manganese items such as silicomanganese, low carbon silicomanganese, medium and low carbon ferromanganese, silicon metal, ferrosilicon and electrolytic manganese metal.

OM Holdings Ltd (OMH), which is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, and Asia Mineral Ltd will both set up a manganese smelter under the SCORE initiative.

OMH’s proposed smelter will have the capacity to produce 300,000 tonnes of manganese ferroalloys and 300,000 tonnes of ferrosilicon alloys per year while Asia Minerals targets an annual production capacity of 400,000 tonnes.

Exclusive negotiations

OMH’s wholly-owned subsidiary, OM Materials (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Syarikat SESCo Bhd (owned by Sarawak Energy Bhd) to enter into exclusive negotiations on a long-term power (500MW) purchase agreement for its proposed smelter.

Explaining the Samalaju water supply scheme, Recoda’s head project management Dawend Jiwan said about
36.6 million litres per day (MLD) of raw water was required by the four investors by 2013, and 5MLD would be distributed to industries in Samalaju, the proposed Samalaju new township and nearby coastal villages.

He said Press Metal would require 0.6MLD, Tokuyama (23MLD), Asia Minerals Limited (20MLD) and OMH 8MLD. By 2015, raw water requirement will be 86MLD.

SCORE is one of the five regional corridors being developed throughout the country.

It’s a major initiative to develop the Central Region and transform Sarawak into a developed state by 2020 and it aims to achieve the goals of accelerating the state’s economic growth and development, as well as improving the quality of life of the people of Sarawak.

SCORE’s core assets are its energy resources (28,000 MW), particularly hydropower (20,000 MW), coal (5,000 MW) and others (3,000 MW).

These will allow Sarawak to price its energy products competitively and encourage investments in power generation and energy-intensive industries that will act as triggers for the development of a vibrant industrial development in the corridor.

http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/01/22/investments-flow-into-samalaju-industrial-park/

Berita: Loji Press Metal di Bintulu beroperasi Sept

LAWAT: Kakitangan AZAM bersama wakil media tempatan merakamkan kenangan di Press Metal Sarawak Sdn Bhd, Mukah kelmarin. Turut kelihatan ialah Koon (sembilan kiri) serta Aloysius (sepuluh kiri).

Berkos RM3b, loji kedua selepas Mukah berupaya hasil 320,000 tan metrik aluminium

MUKAH: Loji peleburan aluminium Press Metal Berhad (PMB) di Samalaju, Bintulu yang dibina dengan kos lebih kurang RM3 bilion dijadual mula beroperasi pada September tahun ini.

Pengarah Eksekutif PMB, Koon Poh Ming berkata, loji tersebut adalah yang kedua milik PMB di negara ini selepas loji Press Metal Sarawak Sdn Bhd (PMSSB) di Mukah, yang telah beroperasi sejak bulan Ogos 2009.

“Setelah beroperasi nanti, loji ini berupaya mengeluarkan 320,000 tan metrik aluminium,” ujarnya kepada pemberita yang mengadakan lawatan ke loji PMSSB, petang kelmarin.

Lawatan itu yang dianjurkan oleh Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) dan Lembaga Pembangunan Koridor Wilayah (RECODA) bertujuan memberi gambaran lebih jelas berhubung apa yang berlaku dalam Koridor Tenaga Diperbaharui Sarawak (SCORE).

Dalam lawatan itu yang diketuai oleh Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif AZAM, Datu Aloysius Dris dan Ketua Pegawai Pelaburan RECODA, Kamil Daniel Yap, rombongan turut diberi taklimat berhubung operasi PMB dan PMSSB oleh Pengurus Pembangunan dan Teknikal PMSSB, Siew Eng Fui.

PMB ditubuhkan pada tahun 1986 serta beribu pejabat di Kuala Lumpur, beroperasi di beberapa buah negara seperti United Kingdom, Australia, China, Kanada, Hong Kong, Singapura dan Dubai.

Ditanya berhubung perancangan syarikat bagi memperluaskan operasinya di Mukah, Koon berkata syarikat buat masa ini tidak mempunyai perancangan tersebut.

Ini kerana, katanya, apabila syarikat memperluaskan operasi di Mukah, keperluan terhadap tenaga elektrik juga akan bertambah dan ini memerlukan penyambungan talian kabel yang baharu.

“Oleh itu kita mengambil keputusan untuk membina loji baharu di Samalaju, Bintulu bagi meningkatkan pengeluaran syarikat,” jelas Koon.

Loji PMSSB yang dibina dengan kos kira-kira RM1 bilion di kawasan seluas 1,000 ekar, berupaya mengeluarkan 120,000 tan metrik aluminium.

Syarikat mengeluarkan aluminium dalam bentuk jongkong (ingot) dan batang aluminium (billets), dengan lebih separuh pengeluaran dieksport ke negara luar seperti Jepun, Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam dan sebagainya.

Loji PMSSB di Mukah ini menggunakan teknologi yang disediakan oleh Aluminium Corporation of China Limited (CHALCO).

http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/01/14/loji-press-metal-di-bintulu-beroperasi-sept/

Announcement: Sarawak anti-ASP movement urges internet users to pressure the government into action

Anti- Aluminium Smelting Plant People Movement has been initiated by some concerned internet users. It is astonishing that many Malaysians do not know how bad Aluminium Smelting Plant (ASP) is even though our fellow people in Mukah have already suffered since its establishment. Hence, this movement intents to spread the news about ASP to all Malaysians using the internet as the major tool. 


It is to note that the anti-ASP movement does not function under any recognized organization, but we are willing to collaborate with any organization that supports our cause.


We believe that all Malaysians love our land and people and we do not want to be victimised as a result of political corruption and sheer human greed. With that, we urge the internet users to support our cause by ‘liking’ our Facebook page and sharing relevant issues as a means of pressuring the government into stopping ASP.  And we would also like to grab the opportunity to thank Malaysiakini, Merdeka Review, Free Malaysia Today for promoting Stop ASP movement. Every contribution and support means a lot to us. 


At the meantime, this movement will continue to disclose the details and local investigation report on ASP. Please watch out for our posts in Facebook. Lastly, we also appeal to the readers to show up at Himpunan Hijau 2.0 that takes place in several states on Sunday. 

Surat: Kempen Bantah Kilang Peleburan Aluminium

Rakan-rakan sekalian,


Sekumpulan rakyat biasa Sarawak telah melancarkan satu kempen anti kilang peleburan Aluminium yang bernama STOP ASP melalui internet. Kami ingin menggunakan saluran ini untuk menyampaikan maklumat tentang kilang peleburan Aluminium yang membahayakan kesihatan manusia dan mencemarkan alam sekitar. Kami juga ingin mendapat lebih banyak perhatian daripada para warga Malaysia untuk menggesa kerajaan menghentikan operasi kilang dan mengharamkannya. ASP ialah singkatan untuk Aluminium Smelting Plant, iaitu kilang peleburan Aluminium.

Mengapa Kilang Peleburan Aluminium (ASP) perlu dihentikan? Pertama, pembinaan empangan air untuk membekalkan tenaga elektrik yang tinggi kepada ASP akan memusnahkan persekitaran semula jadi di Sarawak. Malahan jangka hayat sesebuah empangan air adalah sekitar 50 tahun sahaja. Kedua, Kilang Peleburan Aluminium membahayakan kesihatan penghuni-penghuni tempatan. Beberapa video yang disiarkan dalam Youtube menunjukkan penduduk Balingian telah menyaksikan kesan kewujudan kilang ini- Peningkatan yang ketara dalam bilangan kanak-kanak yang jatuh sakit, tumbuh-tumbuhan yang mati dan bilangan ikan yang semakin berkurangan, dan lain-lain. Ketiga dan juga yang terakhir, sisa kilang yang dihasilkan oleh Kilang Peleburan Aluminium akan menyebabkan pencemaran. Sekiranya sisa berbahaya itu tidak dikendali secara berhati-hati, contohnya: disalurkan ke sungai, pembocoran bekas sisa, dan lain-lain, para penghuni yang mendiami tepi sungai akan menderita. Dengan sikap kerajaan negeri Sarawak yang mengalu-alukan projek Kilang Peleburan Aluminium ini, akibatnya seluruh Sarawak akan terjejas pada akhirnya.

Dalam kempen ini, kami mempunyai dua permintaan iaitu: pertamanya, kami menggesa Kerajaan Malaysia dan Kerajaan Negeri Sarawak menghentikan operasi Kilang Peleburan Aluminium di Balingian dan mengharamkan pembinaan kilang ini di seluruh Malaysia. Kedua, kami menggesa Kerajaan Negeri Sarawak supaya menyiasat secara mendalam tentang isu kesihatan dan persekitaran yang muncul di Balingian dan mendedahkan laporan penyiasatan kepada orang awam.

Untuk menyokong kempen kami, sila "suka" page Stop ASP (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-ASP/334599206581381?sk=info) dan menyebarkan maklumat-maklumat yang dipamerkan di page tersebut kepada rakan-rakan anda tidak kira melalui internet ataupun lisan. Kesejahteraan alam sekitar dan manusia haruslah menjadi tumpuan utama kerajaan dalam usaha mengembangkan ekonomi negara.

Sekian, terima kasih.

Stop ASP People Movement/ Gerakan Rakyat Membantah Kilang Peleburan Aluminium

Mail-e: stopasp@gmail.com
blog: http://stopasp.blogspot.com/

Announcement: Stop ASP People Movement

We are a group of Sarawakians who feel the need to initiate an Anti-Aluminium Smelting Plant (ASP) Campaign online in response to the establishment of ASP in Balingian, Sarawak. We strongly disapprove of building ASP in Sarawak or in fact, anyplace in Malaysia. And hence, our campaign name: STOP ASP.

Through this campaign, we wish to deliver one key message. ASP is dangerous and it has already endangered and will continue to endanger the health of the Balingian people and the delicate balance of ecosystem if it is not terminated. It is also part of our goals to draw more attention from the general public, especially Malaysian citizens, so that they also take up the responsibility to urge the government to stop and ban ASP in Malaysia. 

You might question what ASP is and why we are making such hoo-ha out of it. ASP is the short form for Aluminium Smelting Plant. Aluminium smelting is the process of extracting aluminium from oxide alumina, usually through the Hall-Héroult process. The building of ASP has numerous bad consequences.

In order for aluminium smelters to function, an exceptionally large amount of electricity is needed. In Sarawak where hydropower is ample, hydroelectric dams are built to supply the power. Apparently, dams are destroying Sarawak's natural environment. Several thousand square kilometres of land in Sarawak has suffered from irreparable damage! Moreover, the life span of a dam is approximately a mere 50 years, a so-called renewable energy which is not exactly sustainable.

Secondly, ASP is endangering the local inhabitant’s health. Several videos posted online show that Balingian people have witnessed the impact of the establishment of such plant—Noticeable increase in the number of children getting sick, plants dying, and dwindling number of fish, etc.

Besides, the waste product produced by ASP would cause pollution. If the alarmingly hazardous waste product-- fluoride waste were handled without caution, i.e. being channelled into the river, container leakage, etc, the locals who live off the river will suffer. And with the welcoming arms that our Sarawak government give to ASP project, it is only a matter of time that the whole Sarawak will be affected.

All of the above lead to two requests that we wish to address to our government. First, we urge Malaysia government and Sarawak state government to stop and ban ASP in Malaysia. Second, we urge Sarawak state government to further investigate the health and environment issues that are arisen in Balingian and reveal these reports to the public.

To support our campaign, please ‘like’ our page Stop ASP in Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-ASP/334599206581381?sk=info) and spread the information posted in our page by mouth or by words.

Thank you.

Stop ASP People Movement,

E-mail: stopasp@gmail.com
Blog: http://stopasp.blogspot.com/