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

Penan Long Luar Longhouse gutted in mid-night fire

A one row of 14-door Penan wooden longhouse at Long Luar in Pelieran river at the headwaters of Murum river was reduced to ashes, when gutted to the ground in wee hour of 18th June night.

The fire occurred at about 2.00 am mid-night. The Penans believed that the fire was caused by a spilled kerosene lamp that was accidentally kicked by a boy while in deep slept. The fire spread swiftly and took less than half an hour to raze the whole wooden longhouse.

At the time, most of them were already aslept, however were shaken and awakened by those families and relatives next door to the fire, who has noticed it earlier as it razed.

The fire had mercilessly taken away everything they owned and left them with the clothes on their backs. They could not help to salvage their personal belongings and heirlooms at all as the fire was too flammable. Fortunately no life was lost in the mishap. The fire made more than 60 families (250 people) homeless. The longhouse was built sometime in 1996.

Most of the victims are now taking temporary shelter with relatives at another Penan longhouse in Long Tangau which is situated about 500 metres away from Long Luar. Long Tangau is made up of 18 doors/units. Hence, it could not accommodate a large number of Penans from Long Luar. Some Penan families have to build makeshift huts around the village as well as in the nearby forest.

The costs of the damage were yet to be ascertained. Due to the remoteness of the village, information about the mishap was rather slow. At present, there hasn’t any assistance given to them. They are appealing for immediate help especially on basic items such as foods, cooking utensils and clothes.

Village headman, Madai Salo was with tears as he narrated their sorrow and despair at the fire that had completely destroyed their longhouse.

Long Luar is one of the six (6) Penan villages in Pelieran river area affected by the mega Murum hydroelectric dam project in Belaga District in the central region in the interior of Sarawak. The Long Luar Penans are strongly opposing the dam project. The other Penan villages are Long Tangau, Long Wat, Long Singu, Long Menapa and Long Malim. Also affected is a Kenyah-Badeng village at Long Umba in Danum River. There are about 1,000 Penans in the area are affected by the Murum dam project.

Penans Appeal:

Long Luar Penans are appealing for help. Any assistance and donations to the Penans of Long Luar, be it financially or in-kinds are most welcome. If you need to visit them, kindly contact us for information and logistic arrangement at: scanenetwork@gmail.com or call us Tel: 085 423044

Penan community wants to scrutinize the Social and Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA) Report for Murum dam project prior to approval

Press Statement

4 August 2010
Regent Hotel, Bintulu

The Pelieran-Murum Penan Affairs Committee and the residents of the Penan villages affected by Murum Hydroelectric Dam project are urging the Sarawak State Government as not to make any approval to the “Social and Environmental Impact Assessment” until it has been scrutinised by themselves and the public.

Throughout last year (2009), we have been visited by various parties claimed to do some studies related with Murum dam project. We were told that the government has carried out the Social and Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA) in order to study the impacts of the Murum dam project that on our community.

Up till now, we do still not know the actual progress whether the said studies and the SEIA report as well as other related reports have been completed and ready for public scrutinizing.

We would like to state here that, before the approval made to the said SEIA report, we urge the government especially the authority concerned, the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) to provide an opportunity to the public at large to scrutinize the SEIA report. And most importantly, our opinions and feedbacks on the said SEIA report should be seriously taken into account.

As our community is directly affected by this dam project, we should be duly informed regarding the progress of the said studies especially the effects and impacts of the project on us.

The government should also brief and clarifying to us regarding the specific development plans that is related with the resettlement programme as well as our livelihood and future.

We are totally discomfited with the construction works of Murum dam project that have been going on intensively at the project site while the said SEIA report is not confirmed of getting approval from the relevant authority concerned. What will happen if such report is not approve and what will the government do to recover back those land, forest, river and natural resources that had been destroyed?

In addition to the said SEIA report, we also call upon the government to inform us regarding the plan for resettlement area for us. Likewise, as being advised by the government, we have forwarded our suggestion for the proposed resettlement area that at Metalon River in the upper course of Pelieran River. However at present, Shin Yang Company is on the verge of clearing the proposed resettlement area for the purpose of large scale oil palm plantation. Shin Yang has entered the area illegally without our consent. If Shin Yang is allowed to extensively clear and fell the forest in the area there will be no more forest left for our community to sustain our livelihood. Thus, it would be meaningless for us to be resettled in the proposed area if it is to be developed with oil palm plantation.

We call upon the government with high hope to be involved in developing development plans for our betterment which will determine the future direction of our community. With that, as a start we urge the Sarawak state government and the Natural Resources and Environment Board to furnish us with a copy of the SEIA report to be scrutinized prior to it approval.

Statement issued by: Mr Surang Alung, Chairman Pelieran-Murum Penan Affairs Committee

Masyarakat Penan mahu meneliti laporan Kajian Penilaian Kesan Sosial dan Alam Sekitar Projek Empangan Murum sebelum kelulusan dibuat

Kenyataan Media

4hb Ogos 2010
Regent Hotel, Bintulu

Jawatankuasa Hal Ehwal Penan Pelieran-Murum, Belaga dan penduduk-penduduk kampung-kampung Penan yang terjejas oleh projek empangan Murum memohon kepada Kerajaan Negeri Sarawak agar tidak membuat sebarang kelulusan ke atas “Laporan Kajian Penilaian Kesan Sosial dan Alam Sekitar Projek Empangan Murum” sehingga ia-nya diteliti oleh orang awam dan mereka sendiri.

Sepanjang tahun lepas (2009), kami telah dilawati oleh pelbagai pihak yang membuat kajian-kajian berkaitan dengan projek empangan Murum. Kami diberitahu bahawa suatu Kajian Penilaian Kesan Sosial dan Alam Sekitar [Social and Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA)] telah dijalankan oleh Kerajaan demi mengkaji akan kesan-kesan projek empangan Murum ke atas masyarakat kami.

Setakat ini kami belum tahu perkembangan lanjut berkenaan laporan kajian tersebut serta laporan-laporan berkaitan samada ianya telah siap dan sedia untuk diteliti oleh orang awam.

Di sini, kami ingin menyatakan bahawa sebelum laporan SEIA tersebut diluluskan, kami memohon kepada kerajaan dan terutamanya Lembaga Sumber Asli & Alam Sekitar (NREB) Sarawak yang bertanggungjawab untuk memberi peluang kepada orang awam supaya laporan SEIA tersebut diskrutini. Dan yang amat penting ialah pandangan dan maklumbalas kami ke atas laporan SEIA tersebut harus diambil kira dengan serius.

Sebagai masyarakat yang terjejas secara langsung oleh projek empangan ini, kami patut diberitahu berkenaan dengan perkembangan kajian tersebut terutamanya kesan-kesan dan impak-impak projek ke atas kami.

Kerajaan juga seharusnya menerangkan kepada kami tentang rancangan-rancangan pembangunan tertentu yang berkaitan dengan program penempatan semula, kehidupan dan masa depan kami.

Kami sangat khuatir dengan kerja-kerja binaan projek empangan Murum begitu giat dijalankan di tapak projek sedangkan laporan SEIA tersebut belum tentu mendapat kelulusan pihak berkuasa yang berkenaan. Apakah akan terjadi sekiranya laporan tersebut tidak diluluskan nanti dan adakah kerajaan akan membaik-pulih tanah, hutan, sungai dan sumber-sumber kami yang telah dimusnah?

Sehubungan dengan laporan SEIA tersebut, kami juga menyeru kepada kerajaan untuk memaklumkan kami berkenaan dengan rancangan kawasan penempatan semula (resettlement area) untuk kami. Kami telah mengemukakan cadangan berkenaan dengan kawasan penempatan semula yang kami pilih seperti yang dinasihatkan oleh kerajaan, iaitu di Sungai Metalon dibahagian hulu Sungai Peliran. Namun pada masa ini, kawasan yang dicadang tersebut sedang dibuka oleh Syarikat Shin Yang untuk tujuan perladangan kelapa sawit berskala besar. Syarikat Shin Yang memasuki kawasan tersebut tanpa kebenaran dari kami. Sekiranya Shin Yang dibiar membuka dan menebang hutan secara meluas di kawasan tersebut maka masyarakat kami akan tidak ada hutan lagi untuk meneruskan kehidupan. Maka, tidak ada gunanya kami untuk ditempatkan di kawasan tersebut sekira ianya dibangun dengan ladang kelapa sawit.

Kami menyeru kepada kerajaan dengan harapan tinggi untuk dibawa bersama dalam menentu rancangan-rancangan pembangunan demi kebaikan dan menentu hala-tuju masa depan masyarakat kami. Dalam pada itu, untuk bermula pihak kami menyarankan Kerajaan Negeri Sarawak dan Lembaga Sumber Asli & Alam Sekitar (NREB) Sarawak untuk bekalkan laporan SEIA tersebut untuk diselidiki sebelum kelulusan dibuat.

Kenyataan oleh: En. Surang Alung Ju, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Hal Ehwal Penan Pelieran-Murum

Penan woman seeks help locating missing husband

April 8, 2010, Thursday

MIRI: Penan woman Usun Malin, 26, is appealing for help to locate her husband who went missing under mysterious circumstances more than three months ago in jungles near Loagan Bunut.

PLEASE HELP US: Usun with her daughter Maria.

Usun was in Miri yesterday with one of her children to seek help to locate her 33-year-old husband Emang Moyong together with Ba Selulung headman Jepery Moyong, as well as villagers Selapan Malin and Ajang Kiew.

The group met with lawyer Harrison Ngau, who is Sarawak Conservation Alliance for Natural Environment (Scane) national advisor, at the office of Brimas — a non-governmental organisation.

“We sympathise with the predicament of the family and hope that the relevant authorities and the public come forward to help,” said Harrison.

On behalf of the family, he appealed to the relevant authorities and the public to assist Usun’s family, which has been deprived of the sole breadwinner.

Usun said Emang disappeared last November when he and Selapan were brought out of their settlement centre by an ex-community leader purportedly for a video shoot on the Penan nomadic way of life.

However, according to Selapan, instead of a video shoot, they were brought by the ex-community leader by four-wheel (4WD) drive vehicle to the Loagan Bunut area.

At some point, the two Penan men were said to be abandoned by the ex-community leader and approached by at least 10 men from two vehicles which had been following them.

Fearing for their lives, Selapan said he and Emang then ran into the jungle.

According to Selapan, that was the last time he saw Emang.