Reference no: EM133108623

The Sedili Power Plant (SPP) on the bank of Sedili River in Johore, Peninsular Malaysia, has faced several delays related to financing since its conception in the early 1990s and subsequent approval in 2007. With the support of the Exim Bank and the involvement of the Selangor Power Plant project, the SPP is now in the final stages of completion. SPP is among the biggest green-technology-coal power plant in Malaysia. It is expected to generate 2,400 MW of electricity, despite being built in Southern Johore State. Once completed in 2015, it would generate three times the amount of energy currently consumes by the south region of the state. The power plant was meant to help cut Johore's dependence on other states for electricity generation. But there were some serious obstacles to carry out this project. The first one is the government has to vacate more than 25 villages and settlers (approximately 25,000 people), and must provide alternative places (lands) and housing for those people, in the nearby district, (which was not good as their original one and also there was no proper livelihood (jobs and farming) for the people). The next one was the power plant would takes hundreds of acres mangroves sanctuary and forest areas as well as breeding areas of fresh water fish. Finally, the state government had decided to start this project irrespective of these serious issues. There was a strong objection from the environmentalists, villages, opposition parties and public to stop this project.

Based on current situation many comments came up in newspaper and social medias such as Facebook, twitters etc. The questions continued to swirl around the feasibility of the project. It was cited as a graft-plagued human and ecological disaster - opposition mounted against a dozen other planned power plants in the country. The managing director of SPP who had overseen construction since 2008 defended the project (SPP) despite an electricity surplus in the state and the lack of markets for its power. However, it was predicted that once Iskandar project at full swing of implementation, the demand of power is huge and will increase at a high rate. The SPP opponents said that the situation confirmed warnings about the SPP project was ill-planned. The facility was located on the riverbank of Sedili River, a mighty waterway reserve and mangrove forest - home for many rare species of plants, animals, fresh water fish and a renowned biodiversity. Residents living in the shadow of the SPP said the river's biodiversity had degenerated; fish catches have plunged, and once-clean waters smelt foul and was contaminated with chemicals and unsafe to drink. 'Now there is not enough for my family and the fish are small. The river began is choking under silt and is making it difficult to fish with our boat." The fate of dislocated population from 25 villages and settlers including about 800 orang Asli are even worse. The families who shifted to a special settlement area struggled to feed their children amid high food prices and new social strains. These people who were previously farmers, fisherman and laborers said that their new settlement area was infertile, far from river and not many jobs. They are worried about their survival without steady income and high cost of living.

One of the officials himself said to the press indirectly that the SPP project would one of the country's 'Monuments of Corruption,' citing years of delays, ownership changes, and overall cost that more than doubled. He said further, "No users have made any legal written commitment for the usage of energy, "I have a real fear that SPP project will one day become a white elephant."

Questions:

1. Which one is more important? Livelihoods of 25,000 people were displaced and relocated or economic development at the cost of few people.

2. Is it ETHICAL to help more people at the cost of a few people?

3. As such projects are unavoidable suggest some justifications (compensation) for the affected people.

4. Critically evaluate the environmental disaster in relation to economic development.

5. If you were be an official of this SPP project, how would you perceive these arguments