Parliament: Bakun Opens Job Opportunities To Original Residents

25 November 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, 25 Nov (Bernama) -- The Bakun Hydroelectric Dam which will be fully operational next year will open opportunities for various types of work to original residents of the area.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin said the new jobs will be in the technical field, in information technology, in maintenance work and as boat skippers and rescuers of wild life.

These are among the jobs that the project will create, and "we are of the view that local residents should be given priority," he told the Dewan Rakyat here Thursday.

He as replying to Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj (PSM-Sungai Siput) and Datuk Ago Anak Dagang (BN-Kanowit) on job opportunities for the original residents of Bakun who have long been involved in agriculture and are said to lack skills for work in other sectors.

Awang said the government agreed that priority in providing jobs be given to the original residents now living around the dam.

Answering a question from Dr Jeyakumar on a promise that the Sarawak government was supposed to have made to original residents of Sungai Balui at Belaga, Awang said there was no such pledge.

"The Sarawak government never promised to give a house and five acres of agricultural land to affected residents, including those at Sungai Balui in Belaga," he said.

Every family had been paid compensation covering the land, house and crop affected by the construction of the Bakun dam, and also got three acres of agricultural land, he added.

Awang said the federal government could not intervene in the claims of the original residents for a bigger lot because land came under the purview of the state government.

-- BERNAMA

URL: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=545470

No free houses, land for those affected by Bakun dam

Thu, 25 Nove 2010 18:20

By Patrick Lee

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has never promised to give free houses and farmlands to those displaced by the construction of the Bakun hyro-electric dam.

Deputy Finance Minister Awang Adek Hussin told the Dewan Rakyat this after Sungai Siput MP D Jeyakumar asked about the promises of free houses and five acres of farmland for the Sungai Balui residents in Belaga.

Instead, he said that each family would be given a certain amount of compensation for the land, house and farming land affected by the dam's construction.

The deputy minister also added that community halls and main roads leading to Bakun from these resettlement villages would be constructed as well.

Awang said that each family received an average of RM51,980 in compensation.

He also said that the state government would reduce the price of houses sold to former Sungai Balui residents by 50%, or by RM25,000 per unit.

Awang also said that families whose houses were worth less than RM25,000 would be given a loan to purchase these houses.

He said that the federal government had allocated a total of RM534.05 million to the Sarawak government for communities affected by the construction of the Bakun hyro-electric dam in 2005.

Major concern

The deputy minister added that this money would then be managed by the Sarawak state authorities.

Jeyakumar told the House that he had worked in the area in 1984, and visited many of the places that would be affected by the dam's construction.

"My friends who live there tell me that they have encountered many problems after they have been resettled," the MP said, adding that job opportunities were a major concern for many of Belaga's former inhabitants.

"In the new place, they have no work, and many men of working age have to work (in cities) far away, such as Sibu and Kuching," he said, adding that many of the locals were farmers and were only able to find low-paying jobs in the city.

Jeyakumar then asked Awang if it was possible to give these people more farmland.

"Three acres is not enough. What about other places in the interior? Can they be opened for farming? Can new larger locations, or in the lower areas (tanah hilir) be given to them?" he asked.

Although not directly answering Jeyakumar's question, Awang agreed and said that the matter needed to be given more consideration.

He, however, assured the Sungai Siput MP that job opportunities would be made available at the Bakun dam itself when it becomes fully operational in 2011.

Source: Free Malaysia Today
URL: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/politics/barisan-nasional/13333-no-free-houses-land-for-those-affected-by-bakun-dam

[BPAC Media Release] Baram people are vehemently against the proposed mega Baram HEP Dam

14 November 2010

The Baram Protection Action Committee (BPAC) would like to refute the statement made by Councillor Dennis Ngau which was published in the Borneo Post dated 5 November, 2010.

The Councillor was reported to have said that majority of the Baram people are in favour of the Baram HEP dam and that only the opposition and a few NGOs are against the project.

The BPAC regards the statement as misleading and unjustified and strongly urge the said Councillor to retract his statement forthwith and make public apology to the people of Baram through the same newspaper as well as through other papers which are in Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese. The BPAC strongly deplores such statement and utterances reportedly made by Councillor Dennis Ngau on the following grounds:-

1. That the statement misleads the government leaders, relevant authorities and the general public by saying that Baram people support the mega Baram HEP dam project when in fact a vast majority of the people are strongly against it and demanded for it to be scrapped.

2. Councillor Dennis Ngau had not made any visits to each of the longhouses identified to be affected directly and indirectly by the project and had not consulted the villagers about their views towards the project.

3. As far as the Baram people who reside along the main Baram are concerned, there was no referendum being conducted by the Councillor on the people’s response towards the project.

4. Councillor Dennis comes from a village situates along the Apoh River, away from the main Baram River. He foresees that the Baram HEP dam will not adversely affect him directly while in fact he will be affected in other ways.

5. Dennis’s statement reflects total disregard and disrespect for the basic and inherent rights of the people along the main Baram to decide for ourselves on matters affecting our people’s interests, livelihood, survival and future.

6. His statement is an open insult to our people’s intelligence and our capacity to think, act and or articulate our views, concerns, and demands.

7. His statement reflects that he condones the “bulldoze tactic” approach to bring so-called development which purportedly benefit the Baram people but actually brings disaster. This is sheer insanity.



SAVE THE BARAM AND ITS PEOPLE. STOP THE DAM. PEOPLE FIRST, PROFITS LATER. BARAMITES AND SARAWAKIANS, STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS!

(Philip Jau)

Chairman

BPAC.

‘Raise Rajang River water level’

12 November 2010

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit on Wednesday urged the parties responsible for the impoundment of the Bakun Dam, to release more water to increase the water level of Rajang River.

He said the impoundment had adversely affected the tourism industry in the area and the livelihood of the people downstream.

“Because of the shallow water level, some of them lost their jobs as tourist guides and have to chop firewood for a living because there are no more tourists coming after the water level dropped,” he told reporters after launching the “Jeffry Lim Freedom to Express Essence of Love” photo exhibition, here.

Dawos was commenting on a newspaper report yesterday, that the low water level in the upper reaches of Rajang River had affected the tourism industry in the area.

The water level has been receding since the Bakun Dam impoundment began and eventually dropped by more than four metres.

Dawos, who is the former environment adviser for the Bakun Dam project, said that one of the conditions for the contractors involved in the project was to release 150 cubic metres of water per second.

“But now, the contractor has only released 110 cubic metres of water per second,” he said.

Since the impoundment began on Oct 13, the water level of several rivers including Sungai Balui and Rajang dropped drastically which resulted in the operations of express boats, the main mode of transport in the area, being affected.

Meanwhile, the exhibition showcases Lim’s 15 years of experience in photography in over 35 countries where he shared his love for his family, friends, career and the community through visual storytelling.

The exibition is being held at the Bangsar Shopping Centre from today until Nov 19. — Bernama

Source: The Borneo Post Online
URL: http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=74611

Dawos: S'wak Hidro did not follow rules

Friday November 12, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR: A former environment adviser to the Sarawak government is fuming over the fact that the impoundment of the Bakun dam has caused low water levels at the Rajang river.

Thus, river travel and tourism have been severely affected in Belaga.

Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit warned that the drop of more than four metres in water levels was a consequence of ignoring downstream needs.

He claimed that Sarawak Hidro, which is fully-owned by the Ministry of Finance Inc., had failed to abide by the requirements stated in the Downstream Environment Assess­ment study.

Source: The Star
URL: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2010%2F11%2F12%2Fnation%2F7416079&sec=nation

Voices From Temacapulín

Mark Bujang of BRIMAS, Sarawak joins Rivers for Life 3 in Mexico, in solidarity with other mega dam fighters from around the world.

Authorities still have no answer to cause of logjam

30 October 2010

By ZORA CHAN
zora@thestar.com.my
Photos by PHILIP HII and ZORA CHAN

IT HAS been nearly a month since the logjam disaster along the Rajang River, Malaysia’s longest river, but the authorities have yet to determine its causes and the extent of the environmental damage caused.

Certain quarters, including river dwellers, are convinced that uncontrolled logging is to blame, judging from the type of debris ranging from waste logs and cut wood to commercial logs.

On the other hand, others say timber companies should be absolved of all blame.

Whatever the causes are, the disaster is an indication that unsustainable activities have to be addressed transparently, urgently and effectively by all stakeholders.

A local expert told StarMetro that a disaster of such magnitude could be attributed mainly to large-scale land clearing activities.

Scary sight: Environment and Public Health Minister Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh (second from right) assessing the situation at the Sibu Express Boat Terminal on Oct 8.

“Those who have cut down the numerous logs and then disposed of them throughout the upper Baleh catchment area are the most likely culprits.

“Some may blame the weather but I am sure there have been similar weather conditions in the past where there were no reports of logjams,” environmental chemist Prof Lau Seng said.

According to him, large-scale land clearing would change the hydrological characteristics of the catchment area.

“It increases the runoff, causing erosion and resulting in stream overflows and soil deposits in rivers, making them shallower. This will eventually lead to flooding.

“The faster runoff also means the water has higher kinetic energy and will be able to carry more weight, thus washing down debris like waste logs and branches in its path,” he added.

Lau, who is the director of the Centre for Technology Transfer and Consultancy at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, said that the clearing of land and debris piling could also obstruct the flow of water and force water to seep into the ground.

When the extent of soil water saturation is high and spread over a large area, then the saturated soil would move under gravitational force. This large-scale movement of soil is known as a landslide or, if the soil is in a slurry form, a mudslide.

Lau said the landslide or mudslide that caused the logjam could not have happened overnight but could have been the result of accumulated water seepage over a period as water moved very slowly in the ground.

In short, he said the logjam was the “result of excessive land clearing activities that were not done in the best interests of all.”

“This is not natural disaster,” he insisted.

If there was any lesson to be learned from the logjam, Lau said the people should insist that all resource harvesters must comply with standard environmentally wise practices. He added that they should also ask for better enforcement measures.

Prof Lau Seng

In short, he said the logjam was the “result of excessive land clearing activities that were not done in the best interests of all.”

“This is not natural disaster,” he insisted.

If there was any lesson to be learned from the logjam, Lau said the people should insist that all resource harvesters must comply with standard environmentally wise practices. He added that they should also

“We can develop an area but we have to do it in a sustainable way,” he said.

“The logjam is only a symptom of how bad the environmental situation is. The cause includes excessive activities on land,” he added.

On the extent of the environmental damage, Lau said one of the most obvious was the amount of different fish species killed .

“Other damage is more difficult to quantify, such as damage to the spawning grounds and to the food webs,” he said, adding that the damage also depended on the amount of suspended solids (SS) in the river.

He said the SS could be high and deposition of these SS onto the riverbed might bury benthic organisms (comprising crabs, prawns and snails) and kill them.

“These organisms are food for the fish and when the food becomes scarce, fewer fish can be supported,” he said.

The most obvious impact is the drastic decrease of fish in the river and locals, particularly those staying between Kapit and Sibu, who rely on riverine fish would be affected by this situation in the coming months.

“If the benthic organisms are greatly affected, then the quantity of fish in the river will take a longer time to recover,” he warned.

“For those in the upper Baleh or near the estuary like from Sarikei and Igan, the impact will be much reduced as tidal dilution would buffer the muddy water,” he said.

Lau was of the opinion that the authorities should take stock of the existing situation in the Rajang basin as well as in other river basins.

“We need to know quantitatively which areas are severely damaged, moderately damaged or slightly damaged,” he said.

He proposed that as a short-term measure, catchment clean-ups be carried out.

Waste logs and other debris should not be dumped indiscriminately and secure places should be provided as disposal grounds which are far from rivers and runoff paths.

Long-term plans include protecting headwater areas, steep slope areas and buffer strips along all waterways, he said.

He said the government must make sure degraded areas were rehabilitated by planting indigenous trees and monitoring their growth as not all seedlings could survive in degraded areas.

“The state should zone out environmentally sensitive land for conservation purposes,” he said.

Another way forward is to set up an integrated management for the entire Rajang River basin and take into consideration the needs of all stakeholders like foresters, plantations, longhouses/villages/townships, river transport, subsistence farming, the ecological needs of fish and other organisms, public water supply, recreational water demand and industrial demand for water.

Lau said local people should be empowered to be the custodians of the river, incorporating traditional knowledge as well as modern technology in the management of the river basin.

“The people need to understand the concept, the authorities needs to learn to share their responsibilities and the authorities, industries and land users need to give greater consideration to environmental or ecological needs,” he said.

Source: The Star

URL: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2010%2F10%2F30%2Fsarawak%2F7317190&sec=sarawak

This too will happen in Baram if the gov't still insist building the Dams

31 October 2010

by Wan Luhan

BELAGA: Residents of Long Mejawah become the first victims facing livelihood hardship following the impoundment of Bakun Hydro Electricity Dam on October 13.

The 51-door longhouse in Long Mejawah consists of 300 odd Kayan inhabitants who are now literally cut off from outside world due to the sharp decline of water level in the Balui River. Their communication with outside world has been interrupted, not to say obtaining essential supplies, sending children to schools, travelling to Belaga Bazaar to work or for official matters and other unexpected problems that may arise.

It is reported that people have to take an alternate route by using logging track road on motor vehicle through Bukit Jayung which will take them six hours to reach Belaga Bazaar. The fare for a single trip of estimated distance of 30 kilometres is RM70 per head or a total of RM140 for the return trip. But it only takes them three hours to travel to Bintulu.

What puzzling the inhabitants was the approval and funding by the government to construct a road from Long Mejawah to Belaga Town under the Eighth Malaysia Plan (8MP) at the cost of RM13 million which until today has not been materialised. What they feel dissatisfied is the government has been capable to rush and achieved the construction of the 70 kilometres from Bakun to Murum, and yet the construction of 30km road from Long Mejawah to Belaga Bazaar remains a mystery.

The people also feel unhappy with the poor arrangement made by the government without taking into consideration of the hardship that affect the people with the commencement of impoundment on Bakun Hydro Electric Dam while leaving the people to face the consequences.

The local residents are also dissatisfied with the government to give priority to commercial interests and the interests of the people are placed secondary. This, they claimed, contradict to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak’s philosophy ‘1Malaysia, People First, Performance Now’.

With the 10MP going to kick off the ground, where is the pledge made under 8MP? This is the answer the residents in Long Mejawah want to know.

Women folks in Long Mejawah most concerned are about the safety of their children. Their children are now compelled to walk back from their boarding school every weekend. The journey takes up from three to four hours and, occasionally they have to walk on dried part of the river which often, full of debris and pebbles.

According to an elderly folk, Lidi Sali, he travelled to Belaga District Office to collect his monthly welfare aids. He said with the communication being interrupted since the impoundment began on October 13, he had to make a detour to Belaga.

“But my welfare aids is only suffice to pay the fares of RM140,” he says, adding that previously he only paid RM30 for a return trip to Belaga Bazaar on an express boat.

Meanwhile, local people are disappointed with the Government citing “unusual dry weather, resulting in rapid decline in water level,” as the reason for the drastic drop in water level in Balui River.

They point out communication between Kapit to Belaga and Belaga to Long Mejawah has been disrupted due to low water level. There are nine longhouses and one primary school along the route between Long Mejawah and Belaga Bazaar.

This rural folks are now most worried about what is the future lying ahead since the impoundment will take about a year to complete and yet, the water level of Balui River has reached to such a critical level only two weeks after the impoundment has started.

Petrified Baram natives want ‘dam plan’ scrapped

29 October 2010

By Joseph Tawie

Some 20,000 indigenous natives of Kayan, Kenyah, Saben and Penan communities living in the Baram division are horrified to hear about the voluminous fast-flowing Rajang River drying up, a phenomenon blamed in part to the impoundment of the controversial Bakun dam which began on Oct 13.

The unexpected dry spell and the continuous impoundment has caused untold misery and hardship for those living along the Kapit, Belaga, Nanga Merit and Pelagus areas.

“Never before have the Baram residents ever heard of the Rajang River drying up or seen such a thing,” said Philip Jau, chairman of Baram Protection Action Committee in a statement to FMT.

“We don’t want this (dry up) to happen to the Baram River, if the construction of Baram dam is to proceed,” he said.

“The committee therefore demands that the government scrap its plan to build the Baram dam which has a capacity of 1,000 MW. Otherwise at least 20,000 indigenous Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, Saben and Penan communities from hundreds of longhouses and villages situated along the Baram River valley will be affected and displaced,” he said.

Jau said the majority of the communities living in Baram “strongly and vehemently oppose the Baram dam” and also all the other planned and currently under construction dams throughout Sarawak. He said the state had more than enough supply of energy even without these additional dams.

Not consulted

Jau said that the Baram residents were never consulted about the construction of the Baram dam.

“Even though it is still in its planning stage, the people have a right to know and to decide whether to agree or disagree with the project,” he said, pointing out that if all the planned 12 dams and Bakun Dam are operational, Sarawak would have an insane amount of surplus electricity or 600% surplus.

“The energy generated from Bakun Dam alone is more than enough to power Sarawak,” he said.

The Baram dam is expected to submerge an area of 38,900 hectares (389 sq km) of land and forest. The area is mostly native customary land, and consists of temuda, cultivated lands, gardens, villages, churches, graveyards, community forests and sites of historical significance.

The people are going to lose their longhouses, villages, properties, lands and forests as well as the history as a result of submergence and displacement by the Baram dam.

The dam will also submerge the existing government schools, medical clinics, airstrip and other building facilities which the government have spent a lot of tax payers’ money on.

The longhouse/villages downstream affected by the Baram Dam are Long Laput, Sungai Dua, Sri Kenawan, Uma Bawang, Long Miri (Daleh Pelutan), Long Pilah and Long Kesseh.

In the upstream and within the dam reservoir area are Long Na’ah, Long Liam, Long San, Long Selatong (Kiri & Kanan), Long Apu, Long Julan Asal, Long Julan Pelutan, Long Anap, Long Palai, Long Je’eh, Long Moh, Long Sela’an and Long Semiyang as well as some villages in Akah River that are Long Beku, Ba’ Abang, Long Tap and Long Tebangan.

Source: Hornbill Unleashed

URL: http://hornbillunleashed.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/1123/

The mighty Rajang River not so mighty after all

Chris Reubens Friday, 29 October 2010 14:26

COMMENT Malaysia's longest river - the Rajang in Sarawak - is a source of food, income and a mean of transport for the people living along the 640km waterway.

Once the pride of Sarawak, the Rajang is now old and sick with years of abuses, mostly man-made. And recently, there's growing fear that the water level is running low. It has reached a critically low point as reported.

On Oct 8, the Rajang was suffocated with logjam causing losses of RM2.7 million after bridges and jetties were swept away with tons of debris, about 70km from Kapit. It affected cargo services and express passenger boats for a few days.

Fed by several tributaries, the river is regarded as a lifeline for the people living along it, from Sibu to the interior districts of Kanowit, Song, Kapit and Belaga.

Also, rubbish and debris from residents situated near the rivers, planks and unwanted logs from the jungles had taken its toll on the mighty river which is brownish instead of being clear and a clean source of water.

It has always been a joke among frequent flyers who view the river from the air and boat travellers along the river, that if you want a glass of "teh-si", all you need is to scoop it from the Rajang River.

The Upper Rajang River is known as Batang Balui by the Orang Ulu with tributaries which included Katibas River, Balleh River and Bangkit River.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr. George Chan said the state government has yet to ascertain the loss to the ecological system as the Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Board and Sarawak Rivers Board are still doing their investigation.

Read more at http://www.malaysianmirror.com/media-buzz-detail/41-opinion/50232-the-mighty-rajang-river-not-so-mighty-after-all

Govt ignores Penan's choice of resettlement land

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:53

By Joseph Tawie

MIRI: The government’s plan to relocate about 1,000 Penans affected by the Murum Dam project to a 24,000 hectares area has been described as “merely paying lip service”.

“We still don't know how the government came to a decision on the size of the area without consulting us,” said Ramlie Bujang, a spokesman for the Peleiran-Murum Penan Affair Committee (Pemupa).

Land Development Minister James Jemut Masing recently revealed that the government will alienate 24,000 hectares of the land in upper Murum for the Penans.

“This revelation would be another lip service from the minister,” Ramlie said.

Pemupa represents more than 1,000 residents from six Penan villages: Long Singu, Long Luar, Long Tangau, Long Pelutan (Menapa), Long Malim, Long Wat as well as the Kenyah-Badeng of Long Umba who are directly affected by Murum Dam project.

The Penans have themselves proposed and informed the government on their preferred choice of resettlement areas that have large tracts of natural forest.

They include Metalon River area in upper Peleiran as proposed by four villages - Long Singu, Long Luar, Long Tangau and Long Pelutan (Menapa), the upper Tegulang River area as proposed by Long Wat village and, the upper Malim-Danum area as proposed by two villages of Long Malim and Long Umba.

He said the respective Penans proposed these areas as their resettlement areas because they are still rich with forest resources needed to sustain their daily livelihood.

“We want our forest in these areas to be preserved and free from any kind of human development activities such as logging and large scale plantations,” he said.

Revoke plantation leases

Ramlie also urged the government to revoke the provisional leases for plantations in upper Murum area, and immediately stop companies from further exploitating forests in the area.

“The state government must revoke all the provisional leases for plantations within the catchment area of the Murum Dam project before the Penans agree to be relocated.

“Pemupa is shocked to learn that the state government has leased the Murum catchment area to Shin Yang Forestry Sdn Bhd for an oil palm plantation.

“It is disturbing to learn that the areas which we proposed as resettlement areas have been parceled out for oil palm plantations.

"We have found out that Shin Yang Company has started clearing and felling the forest for oil palm plantation in Metalon River area without our consent.

“The clearing of forest by the Shin Yang within the proposed Metalon resettlement area will adversely affect our livelihood in the near future,” said Ramlie.

Pemupa strongly urged the government to alienate land for the Penans before the Murum hydroelectric power (HEP) Dam is completed.

“We have seen the failure and unfulfilled promises of the government to the people at the Bakun Asap-Koyan resettlement scheme, no land at all has been alienated to them.

“It is with anxiety and grave concern for our community over the ongoing construction of Murum dam project that we made our stand to the government.

"However, our voices have fallen on deaf ears,” added Ramlie.

Source: Free Malaysia Today
URL: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/politics/sabah-and-sarawak/12144-govt-ignores-penans-choice-of-resettlement-land

Councillor Ngau must apologise to Baram folk

15 November 2010

By Joseph Tawie

KUCHING: Furious residents in Baram are demanding an apology and a retraction from a Parti Persaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) councillor for saying that Baram folk were 'in favour' of the controversial Baram Hydro-elctric dam. PBB is led by Chief Minister Taib Mahmud.

Dennis Ngau of Telang Usan must apologise for his misleading statement, said Baram Protection Action Committee (BPAC) chairman Philip Jau.

“He must retract his statement and make a public apologise to the people of Baram as they are very angry with him, “said Jau.

Ngau had reportedly said that the people of Baram were supportive of the Baram dam project and that only the opposition and a few of non-governmental organisations were against the project.

His statement was published in The Borneo Post on Nov 5.

Said Jau: “BPAC regards the statement as misleading and unjustified and strongly urge the councillor to retract his statement and make a public apology to the people of Baram through the same newspaper as well as through other papers which are in Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese.

“The BPAC strongly deplores such a statement and utterances reportedly made by Ngau which can mislead the government leaders, relevant authorities and the general public by saying that Baram people support the mega Baram dam project.

"In fact the vast majority of the (Baram) people are strongly against it and have demanded for it to be scrapped.

“Councillor Ngau has not visited each of the longhouses identified to be affected directly and indirectly by the project and has not consulted the villagers about their views towards the project.

“As far as the Baram people who reside along the main Baram River are concerned, there was no referendum conducted by the councillor on the people’s response towards the project.”

Sheer insanity

Jau said Ngau may chose to believe that his village situated along the Apoh River, away from the main Baram River would not be affected by the dam but the "fact is his village will be affected in other ways."

"Ngau’s statement reflects total disregard and disrespect for the basic and inherent rights of the people along the main Baram River to decide for ourselves on matters affecting our people’s interests, livelihood, survival and future.

“His statement is an open insult to our people’s intelligence and our capacity to think, act and or articulate our views, concerns, and demands,” he said, accusing Ngau of condoning the government's ‘bulldozing tactic’ to bring so-called development to supposedly benefit Baram people.

“The construction of the dam does not bring development; it actually brings disaster. This is sheer insanity.” Jau warned.

He urged the government to put a stop to the dam in order to save Baram and its people.

“The government should think of the people first and profits later,” he said, calling on Baramites and Sarawakians to stand up for their rights.

Source: Free Malaysia Today

URL: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/politics/sabah-and-sarawak/12864-councillor-ngau-must-apologise-to-baram-folk