Orang Ulu communities and non-governmental organisations that oppose the construction of the Baram Dam have demanded that the resignation of Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu anak Numpang.

“This is because Jabu ( right ) does not understand the plight of the native communities affected by the construction of dams. He can’t even understand the plight and miseries of the people affected by the Bakun and Murum dams,” Save Rivers Network Sarawak chairperson Peter Kallang said.

“He wants to force the native communities of Baram to accept the proposed construction of the Baram Dam.

“However, the natives oppose as they know better than him how those who have been resettled in Sungai Asap in Bakun, and  Tegulang and Matalun in Murum are now suffering,” Peter said in reference to a statement by Jabu on the proposed Baram Dam.

“They have seen how those affected by Bakun and Murum dams have suffered due to the broken promises f the government.”

Save Rivers is a coalition of several non-governmental organisations.

Jabu on Monday issued a stern warning to human rights activists and environmentalists to back off and mind their business with regard to Baram and its future.

'What do you know about us?'

“What have we done to you? Did we poke our nose into your issues and affairs? What do you know about us and our needs and aspirations?” Jabu told foreign and local human activists.

He accused them of inciting and confusing the locals to go against the proposed Baram Dam by saying that the future of Baram would be bleak, grim and become a ‘ghost town’ with empty and less populated longhouses and settlements.

Jabu said that due to its remoteness, Baram would remain undeveloped if left alone, pointing out that the government had plans to establish a growth centre through Bandar Baru Telang Usan in order to inject life into the almost dying Baram.

Hitting back at Jabu, Peter ( right ) said: “Not only has Jabu has failed to understand the plight of the native communities; he has also failed to bring development to them.

“What has been his contribution to the Dayak communities in more than 40 years as deputy chief minister of Sarawak?

“The best thing for him is to resign from the cabinet as he has no more ideas to help the Dayak, so that another young Dayak politician can take over his post,” Peter said, pointing out that Jabu always puts blames for his failures on others.

Peter said it was uncertain which foreign activists and environmentalists the deputy chief minister was referring to.

'Battle against Baram Dam will continue'

However, Save Rivers will continue to fight for the rights of the communities in Baram and keep on with its campaign against the Baram Dam, which will submerge 26 longhouses, resulting in the resettlement of more than 20,000  people from the Kayan, Kenyah and Penan communities.

“We will not be cowed by Jabu’s threats.We consider the government’s determination to build the dam against our wishes as tantamount to ‘ethnic cleansing’,” Peter said.

Meanwhile, the tua kampung of Tanjung Tepalit, James Nyurang, accused Jabu of being irrational, insincere and outright rude.

“The reason why the Baram district is the most underdeveloped part of the state is due to the government’s neglect. The minister has no reason to blame others for this but himself and his cabinet colleagues who were and are in the government.

“On top of that, compared to all the others, Alfred Jabu anak Numpang has been in the cabinet the longest (40 years, since 1974). Over the years, he had all the opportunities to develop Baram, if he really cared for the people.

 

“In saying that Baram is too remote to be developed, Jabu is contradicting himself. At the moment the government seems so focused in developing the very remote parts, such as Bario, Long Peluan, Long Banga and other places which are much further than the villages in the mid region of Baram, where we live,” James said in a statement to Malaysiakini.

 “If the government is sincere in developing Baram it is not a problem at all,” said the headman, citing among one project as an example - the RM17 million allocated by the state government to develop the Bario rice industry.

Jabu announced the project in January 2012 and it has now been implemented. Another is the rubber tree nurseries project in remote Long Peluan, which was launched by the deputy chief minister in 2013.

James said one of the much-hyped lures used by the politicians to promote the Baram Dam was the proposed new township of Bandar Baru Telang Usan, where those who affected by the Baram Dam will be resettled.

Also attacking Jabu was Baram Protection Action Committee (BPAC) chairperson Philip Jau ( left ), who said: “If the government wants to build the new township, we the Baram people will not oppose it. They can build as many townships as they want, but not the Baram Dam.

“We want infrastructures, especially good roads. So bring development to Baram but do not destroy the facilities and development that are already in place,”

Philip said the proponents of the Baram Dam, especially the few politicians from the ruling party, are completely oblivious to the voices of those who opposed the dam.

“Based on the signature campaign carried out against the project and the number of those who do not want to participate in the on-going Social and Environmental Impact Assessment launched by Sarawak Energy Bhd, there is no question that those who are opposing the dam outnumber those who support it.

“Now, at the age of 74, Alfred Jabu should think seriously about retiring from politics,” Philip added in expressing his support for the call by Save Rivers for Jabu to resign from his cabinet post.