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MIRI (Sept 2, 2011): The Sarawak government has been urged to stop portraying that the implementation of the controversial Baram dam has been approved given the feasibility study, including the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the Social Impact Assessment (SEIA) for the project has yet to be completed.

Non-governmental organisation – the Borneo Resources Institute of Malaysia (Brimas) executive director Mark Bujang said today the Baram MP Datuk Jacob Sagan and Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau are equally “guilty” of confusing the villagers to be affected by the dam.

“The sudden announcement in the media on Aug 24 on the formation of the so-called Baram HEP Community Consultative Committee to look into the relocation of the affected villagers has given the impression to the public that its implementation has been officially approved.

“What is worst is that the state government has even issued notices of extinguishment of native customary rights (NCR) over lands affected by the so-called access road to the Baram dam from the Rural Growth Centre (RGC) in Long Lama, Baram,” Bujang said in a statement.

He said until today, the EIA and SEIA for the dam had not been completed, submitted or approved by the Natural Resources and Environment Board, let alone the commencement of the project.

These are mandatory legal requirements under the Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Order 1994, made under the Natural Resources and Environment Ordinance (1993).

“In this case, even the size and the site for this controversial dam has not been decided.

“The state government and Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) have recently stated they will fully comply with international standards in implementing the 12 proposed new dam projects in Sarawak, including Baram dam.

“But we have noted that the principles in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) which require Governments to, inter alia, obtain the free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) of the indigenous people before implementing development projects and programmes within or over their territory – have not been complied with by the Sarawak Government and the SEB in the case of the equally controversial Murum dam now under construction and also in respect of the proposed Baram dam,” Bujang said.

He added that informal briefing sessions for a few selected community leaders and individuals as was done by the state and SEB in the case of the Murum dam, and recently in Miri for the Baram dam, cannot be considered as “a free, prior and informed consent” of or by the affected indigenous population as those were merely individuals who have not been authorised by all the residents of their respective longhouses to speak or decide for them.

He said there is no need to build these 12 new dams in Sarawak including Baram dam because to do so would result in Sarawak encountering a huge surplus of energy of more than 600%.

Bujang said even the Federal Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water, Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui has also recently stated that “Sarawak is going to have a surplus power for a long time once the Bakun dam goes on line”.

“The building of these 12 new dams would also adversely affects Sarawak’s financial standing in the future,” he said, adding that at the current rate, each of these dams cost at least RM3 billion to built.

Twelve would cost the state at least RM36 billion, excluding the future and usual huge costs overrun that is typical of such projects.

He added that all the problems caused by the Batang Ai dam had yet to be resolved and the problems faced by the displaced communities in Bakum and Murum are mounting by the day.

He said in view of the circumstances, it is therefore utterly unjustifiable and totally irrational for the state to keep building more dams throughout the State.

“We wish to state that we strongly oppose the construction of this highly controversial Baram dam and all the other proposed 10 dams and we call upon the Sarawak State Government to stop its plan to do so,” Bujang said.