BN rep slammed for misrepresenting Baram dam ‘cancellation’
Environmental and native rights NGO Save Rivers have slammed a BN state assemblyperson for claiming that the controversial Baram dam had been “cancelled” ahead of the Sarawak state election expected by April.
Save Rivers chairperson Peter Kallang said the claim by Telang Usan state assemblyperson Dennis Ngau is a misrepresentation of Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem who only announced a moratorium.
“Save Rivers strongly advises politicians who are fighting for their political survival not to confuse the people by calling the moratorium on the Baram dam as a complete cancellation of the project.
“The cancellation is only real when it is in black and white and the gazette for the dam site and the reservoir is revoked,” he said in a statement today.
Telang Usan is a state seat within the Baram parliamentary constituency.
Dennis was on Feb 7 quoted by Borneo Post as saying that the Adenan has assured that the state government will not proceed with the Baram dam project unless the majority of the people there supported it.
“However, certain quarters are still arguing about the state government’s sincerity and continuing to plant seeds of hatred among the people, misleading them with inaccurate information,” he was quoted as saying.
However, Peter refuted this, stating: “Dennis ought to know that is exactly what those who opposed the Baram dam believe.
“They believe what they heard Adenan said and not what Dennis is trying to persuade them.”
Peter pointed out that Adenan had yet to make a decision and what is in force now is a temporary stop work order or “halted” or moratorium.
“Although works by the dam builder, Sarawak Energy Bhd, is on a moratorium, logging is still going on in anticipation of the dam construction.
“The Baram villagers therefore still maintain two manned camp as monitoring stations to ensure that there is no work for the dam going on and to stop the logging activities,” he said.
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