Two government-appointed Chinese community chiefs have strongly objected to a state proposal to relocate Bau, one of Sarawak's oldest towns and said to be sitting on gold deposits worth RM17 billion.

The proposed new site is six kilometres to the west, and closer to the main state highway between Kuching and Lundu. It is at the Batu Empat crossroads where the Bau Road/Batu Kawa/Lundu Road meet. The town is about 20km south-west of state capital Kuching.

Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud recently announced the proposal, saying that relocation of the estimated 4,000 population would improve prospects for economic growth in the area.

However, pemanca Ngu Nyet Min, a member of the Sarawak United People's Party, and penghulu Kuek Moh Fatt of Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party have told the local media they are not in favour of the idea.

"Many families have lived and worked here for generations and are quite happy with life. There may be some who want to move, so let them. But the majority will stay regardless (of whatever happens)," Ngu was quoted as saying.

Bau has a population of about 4,000, mainly comprising Chinese Malaysians. The town is close to the famous Bau Lake and is the administrative headquarters of the district.

A fire in 1978 razed much of the town, but it was rebuilt. Today, it has 170 shoplots, of which only 96 are occupied.

Sarawak National Party (Snap) has joined the growing chorus of opposition to the proposal, saying the people should not be forced to move.

"Any decision must be based on consensus or a referendum," Snap member Patrick Anek Uren said when contacted. He is the former Bau-Lundu member of Parliament.

Anek said the town is connected by a good road network to small trading centres or bazaars within the district, such as Jemusan, Taiton, Kronkong and Pejiru, as well as many Dayak villages.

Gold diggers afoot?

Bau was established early in the 19th century by hundreds of Chinese migrants from West Kalimantan, Indonesia. This was even before the arrival of Sir James Brooke who was installed as the first White Rajah of Sarawak in 1841.

It grew to become an important gold mining town, with English-owned The Borneo Company given a lease to work the mine. It did so until it was no longer economical to do so using methods of the day.

Although gold mining has ceased, Bau is still known as the 'Gold Town of Sarawak'. An early geological survey report is said to have indicated the presence of gold deposits in large underground seams or veins about 100 metres below the town.

Anek, who said he heard about this eight years ago, claimed the market value of the deposits is estimated at RM17 billion, adding "this is enough reason for people to go after the gold".

Wilfred Nissom, a political secretary to the chief minister and Parti Rakyat Sarawak information chief, dismissed this as speculation, saying this was probably concocted by those out to ridicule the state government's "good intentions" behind the proposed relocation.

"The infrastructure - the new police station, hospital, dispensary, secondary and primary schools and civic centre - is all over the place in the town," he said.

"Quite obviously it is just impossible to re-site all these facilities, not to mention the houses and some of the light industries found in and around the town."

Nissom said the low-lying town has been subjected to two severe floods. When the nearby Sungai Sarawak overflowed recently, the water reached the first floor of several buildings.

Idea 'not new'

Not all are convinced by such explanations. About 10 years ago, the government had issued a lease to a company to prospect for gold in the vicinity of Bau Lake, but the operations ceased after deposits could not be found.

Then state assistant minister Dr Patau Rubis, the Tasik Biru assembly representative, had warned against the danger of mining so close to the town, telling state cabinet meetings that this could endanger lives and affect structural safety of buildings.

Indeed, sink holes did appear in the town and several government buildings had to be relocated.

Later removed from his post, Patau also left Snap to form the opposition State Reform Party.

He said the proposal to relocate Bau is not new, saying the first such proposal had been made in 1995 to move the town to a site that was originally native customary land.

"This was perhaps done to change the racial make-up of the Tasik Biru electoral rolls to favour a certain political party," he alleged.