Morshidi (third left) and Pickenhagen hold up the concession agreement for Samalaju IWMS. From left are Talat, Ismawi and Wee.

KUCHING: The state will soon see the addition of an integrated waste management system (IWMS) at Samalaju Industrial Park (SIP), Bintulu.

The project will be undertaken by Trienekens (Samalaju) Sdn Bhd, which was recently awarded a 35-year concession agreement to implement an IWMS for SIP.

“As part of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) development initiatives, the SIP in Bintulu was earmarked as a major growth node for heavy and energy-intensive industries.

“Recognising the importance of having a waste management system of international standards in place to cater to these upcoming industries, the state government commissioned a detailed feasibility study for the implementation of an IWMS specifically for the area. Concluding from the in-depth study that covered environmental, technical, financial, economic and social factors, a decision was then made to implement the Samalaju IWMS,” Trienekens said in a statement yesterday.

A signing ceremony of the concession agreement was held at Wisma Bapa Malaysia on Tuesday between the state government represented by State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani and Trienekens (Samalaju) Sdn Bhd represented by director Jurgen Pickenhagen.

Also present were State Planning Unit director Datu Ismawi Ismuni, Deputy State Attorney General Talat Mahmood Abdul Rashid and Trienekens Samalaju director Elvin Wee.

Total investment cost for Samalaju IWMS is projected at RM900 million, starting with a first phase of RM250 million, which is scheduled to commence early next year.

Trienekens Samalaju will implement the IWMS on a ‘Design, Build, Own, Operate and Transfer’ (DBOOT) basis with private funding, which will shift the financing burden from the state to private investors as part of infrastructure privatisation moves.

However, in maintaining an interest in infrastructure development, the state will subscribe to a shareholding in the concessionaire company through the provision of land sublease as a form of a Public-Private Partnership.

The new cutting edge IWMS will include a Waste Transfer Station in Samalaju, as well as a Waste Management Centre in Maskat, 44km from Samalaju Industrial Park.

Custom designed to the types of waste that will be generated in SIP, the new IWMS will ensure the holistic management of both municipal and hazardous waste for environmental protection and preservation.

Meanwhile, Morshidi expressed his hope that Trienekens would continue to upkeep their facilities and deliver excellent service, while applying more sophisticated, greener technologies in their operations.

“Sarawak is the only state in Malaysia with an IWMS in place, and soon we will have two.

“With this new addition, I trust that the Trienekens Group will continue to ensure that Sarawak remains as the ideal example of a sustainably developing state with exemplary waste management systems, and that we will always meet the expectations of an increasingly sophisticated population for many years to come,” he said.

The new Samalaju IWMS will be Sarawak’s second following the first IWMS, which began operations in 2000 and was first developed and implemented by Sarawak Wastes Management Sdn Bhd (a joint venture between Trienekens GmbH, Germany and Sarawak Incorporated Sdn Bhd), with Trienekens (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd as the system’s operator.

The first IWMS integrated the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of both municipal and hazardous waste and features a state-of-the-art treatment facility located in Kuching.