Dam site folks plead for alternative
Published on: Tuesday, April 16, 2019
By: Sherell Jeffrey
Communities from several villages in Papar hope the State Government will not proceed with its plan to build the proposed Kaiduan Dam in the district and reconsider an alternative approach.
The group, comprising those from the Taskforce against Kaiduan Dam (Takad) led by Diana Sipail and Save Papar River led by Jokli @ Jackly Likinsim, presented a memorandum to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal at the State Assembly building, Monday.
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The seven-page memorandum with 106 signatures from the communities involved, among others, also contained several proposed alternatives for the State Government to consider, among them a decentralised reservoir to be set up in every district.
Sipail said despite the exhausting journey from their villages to the city and having to wait until after noon, they were happy to be able to personally hand over the memorandum to the Chief Minister
“He (Shafie) assured us that the Government will look for a new alternative, apart from the dam…but we are quite disappointed with the feedback from (State) Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Peter Anthony who insisted that the dam must be built,” she said.
She said Shafie told them that the State Government is always concerned and listened to the people’s complaints and that they will reconsider the proposed construction of the dam.
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“He also told us not to be stressed about politics and that there are times when the people’s voice has to be heard and not tied to politics,” she said.
On that note, she said they hoped the Government would stop the proposed dam and allow them to continue staying on the land which they have called home since their ancestors’ time.
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“We hope the Government will make efforts to study and take into consideration the alternative proposals listed in the memorandum,” she said.
“We really hope the new Government will into other alternatives in line with the sustainable development goals,” she added.
She also said the current Water Department director was among those who strongly opposed the proposed dam.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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