IPOH, June 25 — Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu today said the decision to privatise waste management throughout the state was made by the previous Pakatan Harapan (PH) government last year.

Ahmad Faizal said that the current Perikatan Nasional (PN) government was just continuing the decision.

“I feel weird PH has raised this matter, because the decision was made by the PH government, which I led previously.

“The decision to privatise the waste management was done in 2019 and we all know that PH was the government at that time,” he told a press conference after launching the Perak Green Earth Programme at his Office in the State Secretariat Building here.

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“And to those of my friends in PH who questioned this matter, I want them to review it, as we all made the decision together. Today, PN just continued the decision made by them,” he added.

Ahmad Faizal was also the MB when PH had been in power.

He also said that the contract was awarded to a private company — Mainiza Teknitek Recowaste Sdn Bhd (MTR) — because it has vast experience in waste management and could cooperate with the state-owned Majuperak Holdings Bhd (MHB).

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“We did not simply award this project to an outside company, but to a company that we have our own interest in and as well as we can control the business via MHB,” he explained.

Yesterday, Perak Opposition leader Abdul Aziz Bari said the decision to privatise waste management without an open tender was causing loss to the public and prevented 15 local authorities in the state from providing the service.

“Since the privatisation concession is a monopoly in nature, it is a concern of many that the prices or service charges will inevitably increase and will add burdens to the lives of many people who are facing unemployment and economic hardship.

“It will be also difficult to lodge complaints if the service provided by them is unsatisfactory as private companies with monopoly status are not required to play the role of social service to the society,” he said.

He added that the government staff, who were providing the waste management service under the 15 local governments, will lose their jobs due to the privatisation.

The Tebing Tinggi assemblyman, also alleged that MTR, which was established in 2017 and based in Selangor, was currently suffering losses and the total assets of the company were only valued at RM500,000.

He also claimed that MHB has been listed by Bursa Malaysia as PN17 company, which refers to companies that have financial difficulties.