The old scrapbook’s cover has yellowed. Its worn edges bear the scars of time, and its title is pieced together with headlines from old newspaper cutouts. It reads: “Evacuation Batu Arang: Danger town but it’s home”.

Rawang Tolak Insinerator Network (RTI) member Pauline Puah carefully handed the scrapbook to a reporter on Wednesday as soon as she arrived at Malaysiakini’s office in Petaling Jaya for an interview.

Inside, one of the news clippings said, “Expert recommends evacuation of town’s residents; Panel: Batu Arang unsafe”. A photo caption in another article described a “30m-deep hole on Batu Arang’s main street”.