MP urges govt to reconsider building dam

The Barisan Nasional (BN) government has been urged to reconsider its proposal to build the Liwagu Hydro Power Dam here following strong objections from residents who will be affected by the project.

The member of parliament here, Datuk Siringan Gubat, said before this the government had already scrapped its plan to implement the multi-million ringgit project in the district.

However, the government reneged on its earlier decision and decided to go ahead with the development of the hydro power dam at the Liwagu River in Kampung Miruru, about 75 kilometers from the town.

The project will start in 2016 and is expected to be completed within two years, he said.

Siringan, who is also Upko vice-president, made the call at a recent Kampung Miruru-level Pesta Kaamatan celebration where the villagers submitted to him their petition in opposing the implementation of the project.

The Villagers Action Committee chairman, Yalik Lobinos, said should the government go ahead with the project, an area of about 26 square kilometers involving many villages such as Kg Miruru, Kg Mangkadait, Kg Mentapok, Kg Bangsawan, Kg Tampios and Kg Nunuk Ragang, and land planted with crops would be submerged.

“Many of the residents have planted their land with commercial crops such as oil palm and rubber,” he said.

He reckoned that the government should relocate the project elsewhere.

Source: Borneo Post