About 200 orang ulu families who refused to vacate their traditional land to pave the way for the RM9 billion Bakun hydro-electric dam project in 1998 are now willing to move, but not to the government-sponsored resettlement area in Sungai Asap.

Instead these families, who now face the risk of floods when the dam construction begins, want the Sarawak state authorities to find them another alternative site on higher ground.

The families, from four locales (Batu Kalo, Long Bulan, Long Lawun and Long Jawe), are among the 10,000 people affected by the controversial dam project. The government offered a resettlement scheme for them in Sungai Asap, about 30km from the dam site.

The dam project, after a short hiatus following the 1997/98 financial crisis, resumed on Aug 1 and ground clearing operations are underway.