The construction of the Sg Selangor Dam near Kuala Kubu Baru has forced one rafting company into pulling out of the area due to the deteriorating quality of the river.

Heavy siltation, logs and other debris from the construction have left the river virtually unusable. The pioneer rafting operator, hard pressed to find another comparable river in Malaysia, has now turned to Thailand for a suitable river.

Just a few years ago, everything was looking promising for the fledgling sport. Thanks to the initiative of Rubin Gan from Tracks Outdoors, Sg Selangor's potential as an international white water venue was realised. Many of the world's top white water rafters said it was the best river in Asia.

Abu Hassan Omar, who was the chief minister at the time, actively encouraged the development of rafting and kayaking as part of his drive to develop ecotourism in the state - in fact, the state even spent a substantial amount of money to help prevent river erosion.

But when the same state government announced the construction of the Sg Selangor dam, it was tantamount to shooting itself in the ecotourism foot and ironically this decision was made in Visit Selangor Year!

Death toll

Concerned citizens requested a dialogue with Abu Hassan but he refused to meet them. They presented the state government with a document which stated why they were against the Selangor Dam. The state government never even acknowledged receiving the official document.

In the meantime the contract was signed and the Splash consortium - in which the Selangor State government holds a 30 percent stake - started work. The death toll had sounded for the rafting operators.

What was once a lush and verdant river valley with a clean fast river flowing through it now resembles a mega building site. The vegetation is gone, the rocks are being blasted and run-off from the denudated valley slopes turns the river into a red, muddy torrent every time it rains.

When Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo replaced Abu Hassan as Selangor's chief minister a delegation from Barisan Alternatif (which includes[#1] SOS Selangor[/#]) requested a dialogue with him. Again the question of the Selangor Dam was conveniently ignored.

The involvement of the state government in the dam building consortium has marked a new chapter in "crony capitalism" in Malaysia. It has also destroyed the last naturally wild part of the state and therefore their only real chance of developing ecotourism. It's also quite likely that it will cause the death of a beautiful river and the unique firefly colony which has thrived along its lower reaches for generations.

Malaysia's loss is Thailand's gain and we wish the rafting operators well. We'll miss you as much as we're going to miss the beauty of the Sg Selangor.

MARY MAGUIRE is a documentary producer. Being a long-time residence of Kuala Kubu Baru, she has developed a bond with the indigenous group of Temuan villagers at the proposed Selangor Dam site. She recently released a one-hour documentary called Guardian of the Forest , a close-up with the Temuans in Malaysia.