THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR THE LARGEST ANIMAL WASTE BIOGAS PLANT IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

SPEECH BY CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG,YAB TUAN CHOW KON YEOW

AT THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR THE LARGEST

ANIMAL WASTE BIOGAS PLANT IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

19 June 2022
Dewan Pusat Kegiatan Masyarakat Valdor

 

YB Prof. Dr. P. Ramasamy A/L Palanisamy

Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang

 

YB Phee Boon Poh

Exco for Environment & Welfare

 

YB Chong Eng

Exco Member for Social Development & Non Islamic Religious Affairs

 

YB Kasthuriraani a/p Patto

Member of Parliament Batu Kawan

 

Penang State Legislative Assemblymen

 

Fellow Ahli Majlis

 

Dato’ Ir Dr Dennis Ganendra

Founder/ Director of Timeless Green

Mr Tan Chee Hee

Chairman of the Poultry

Mr Wong Fu Sheng

Chairman of the Pig Farmers Association

 

Distinguished guests

Members of the media

Ladies and gentlemen

A very good evening to all of you.

I am truly delighted to be here for the ground-breaking ceremony of the largest animal waste Biogas plant in Peninsular Malaysia located here in Sungai Bakap.

This is proof that we are serious when we have made up our mind in doing something. This is proof that the Penang State Government walk the talk when we announced through our Penang2030 vision that the State will Go Green to the extent that we will inspire the Nation.

We also pledged to strategize our development plans to align them with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This Biogas power plant leads the way for modern pig farming – making it cleaner and more sustainable as an agricultural necessity that is friendly and acceptable to the community. It is also an important step and a major boost to our food security.

With the advent of new technology and good work ethics, gone were the days where pig farms became the breeding grounds for deadly diseases and large numbers of animals had to be culled to contain them like in the past.  

Ladies & gentlemen,

Despite our size, we are not spared of the ill effects of climate change. As a coastal state, Penang is acutely aware of the threat of potential climate change. In response to such threats and the evolving paradigm of sustainable development, the Penang state government has undertaken a number of initiatives including the Penang Climate Action Week, the Penang Green Agenda, Penang Circular Economy, Penang Waste Segregation at Source policy with a current recycling rate of 51.18% in the state, sapling planting across the state with their numbers having reached 191,756 since 2018 and many more initiatives, all of which are in line with the state’s Penang2030 vision.

The Penang State Government took a bold step we first committed ourselves towards realizing a Penang which is “Cleaner, Greener, Safer, Healthier, and Happier”. When the Penang2030 vision was unveiled later, we decided to take things a step further to be exemplary to the whole nation and thus, we aimed to be “A Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation.”

Today marks a historic moment for Kampung Valdor, as it aspires to contribute towards our Penang Green Agenda to become the greenest state in Malaysia through the Green Economy by 2030.

I congratulate the management team of Timeless Green for promoting green investment and sustainable projects such as the Biogas Power Plant that will be developed here at Kampung Valdor.

The Penang State Government welcomes such initiatives which will improve and safeguard our water quality and air quality.

What we are witnessing today is definitely a win – win project that complements the Penang2030 vision to make Penang “A Family-Focused, Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation” and at the same time, make us all “Cleaner, Greener, Safer, Healthier, and Happier”.

I sincerely hope that the development of this Biogas Power Plant will enjoy continuous support by all the relevant State agencies until its eventual successful completion. This project leads as an example to all other farms in Malaysia, particularly in Penang, to move towards modern farming, and to collaborate with quality and reliable private sector partners which have a proven track record. 

Penang always welcomes and is committed towards innovations in the green economy that are promising in terms of practical benefit. We have once again proven that we lead the way to a more sustainable national and global contribution.

Congratulations again to Timeless Green and all your partners in this venture.  We look forward to the benefits of this landmark project.

Thank you!