Sunday, November 3, 2013

SEB’s RM600k per family claim stuns Penans

William Mangor
 | October 31, 2013
Meanwhile Borneo Resources Institute Malaysia (Brimas) said that many Penans had no knowledge about the RM213.3 million 'compensation' saying the government had promised them free longhouse and infrastructure facilities.
KUCHING:  Sarawak Energy Berhad’s claim that Penan families affected by the Murum dam will receive over RM600,000 in resettlement compensation to include longhouse and infrastructure facility has shocked the community and related NGOs.
The  Peliran-Murum Penan Affairs (Pemupa) committee chairman Ngang Buling vehemently refuted claims of RM600,000 compensation per household calling it “a lie”.
“It’s a lie.. none of the Penan has ever received such huge amount of cash compensation for loss of their lands, burial grounds, houses, crops and traditional forest resources.
“If it is true that the state government and SEB have paid or agree to pay us the amount of compensation as stated in their demands, then there would be no persistent and on-going road blockades and protest at Murum dam site by the Penan,” he said.
Another village headman TK. Abok Jalong also slammed SEB’s statement that alleged the Penan community was being instigated by NGOs to remain at the Murum dam site in order to pressure the government with their additional demands of RM500,000 cash compensation.
“It is most unwelcoming to note the arrogant attitude of SEB for accusing the Penan being instigated by NGOs where the Penan are just exercising their rights to be heard when they had been sidelined and their plight continuously taken for granted.
“I condemned such wild allegations that belittle them of their fundamental rights to speak up for themselves and their prerogative to demands for just and fair compensations,
“The Penan have not make any additional demands but has been consistent in their demands to the government including the RM500,000 cash compensation per family,
“Their demands are 25 hectares of farming land for each of the Penan families affected by the dam; 30,000 hectares of forest area as communal reserve to each of the seven affected Penan villages; 10% royalty of Murum Dam revenues, education fund for their children; community development fund for the Penan community; and ownership rights to land and forest area which are not flooded (islands created) by the MDHEP,” he said.
Meanwhile  Borneo Resources Institute Malaysia (Brimas) spokesmen, Raymond Abin said SEB’s ‘blanket statement’ was grossly “misleading and manipulative”.
“In summing up, SEB stated and I quote that ‘for longhouse and infrastructure facilities alone, the cost involved is RM213.3 million and this translates to more than RM600,000 per household’.
“The Penans were shocked with such claims. According to them they have no knowledge at all about the RM213.3 million, the cost of longhouse and infrastructure facilities which is being accounted as compensations without their consent,” Abin said in a statement today.
SEB must clarify
He said many of the Penans had told Brimas that the government had assured them that the longhouses, infrastructure facilities and amenities in Metalun and Tegulang Resettlement sites would be built free for them and without any charges.
“Now the Penans are  saddened and its regrettable indeed that the government failed to abide by the assurance made earlier.
“The RM213.3 million cost of development by state government and SEB which is being accounted for as compensations has been shrouded in secrecy,” Abin said.
He said SEB must clarify several points regarding the so-called payment of compensation to the Penan communities affected by the Murum dam hydropower project.
He also expresed his dismay at the state government’s claim of ignorance at the ongoing protests in Murum dam project site.
At present there are more than 200 Penan families on rotational basis manning road blockades, protesting and encamped at the Murum dam project site since 20th September.
These families are from the Penan villages of Long Luar, Long Tangau, Long Menapa and Long Singu in Pleiran River of upper Murum area.
Abin sees the protests as a positive movement as the Penan are not violent and only exercising their rights to call on government for negotiation on terms to their demands peacefully.
“As stated in Article 13 of the Federal Constitution the government has a legal liability to compensate the Penan for properties lost and acquisition of their land for the construction of Murum Dam hydroelectric project,
“It seems that SEB failed to understand and differentiate between the issue of just, fair and equitable compensation and the development costs of Murum Resettlement project,
“Even a layman knows that the RM213.3 million are the costs expensed related to development and construction of structural buildings, infrastructures and amenities facilities at the Metalun and Tegulang Resettlement sites for the affected Penan villages,” said Abin
Penans want ‘full compensation’
State government and SEB are responsible and account for the development costs of the Murum Resettlement sites rather than surreptitiously included these costs as compensation package of the Penan.
The affected Penan communities have forwarded their demands very clearly to the state government where they simply demand just, fair and equitable compensation for losses of ancestral land, properties, burial grounds and forest areas arising from the acquisition of their land by the government to make way for the construction of Murum dam hydroelectric project.
Said Abin: “The demands of the affected Penan communities for full compensation so that they are left in a no worse position, than they were before the Murum Dam project commenced.
“The government and SEB not to take an ostrich stand on these Penan’s demands and compensation issue by hiding its head in the sand and assume that there is no problem if they don’t see it.”
He said the Penans will continue to asset their demands until the government holds genuine consultation and negotiation with them to agree on terms to their demands that may resolve the on-going impasse at Murum dam site,
“And hope that the government will not continue to be silent. Let’s take the bull by the horn and face the consequences, whatever their demands are – all reasonable guarantees toward sustainable livelihoods for them,
“The state government and SEB should not forget that the Penan have sacrificed everything – their lives, lands and properties for MDHEP and the development Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE),” he said.

No comments:

Post a Comment