Kelantan deputy MB: Nenggiri dam can reduce electricity cost
Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Abdullah today defended the construction of the Nenggiri hydroelectric dam over its potential to reduce electricity tariffs.
"The main purpose is to generate electricity. When there is a dam, the price of electricity can be reduced...
Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Abdullah today defended the construction of the Nenggiri hydroelectric dam over its potential to reduce electricity tariffs.
"The main purpose is to generate electricity. When there is a dam, the price of electricity can be reduced.
"Secondly, the dam is important for the state in terms of flood prevention. That was why we agreed to it," said Amar (above), adding that the dam was also needed for irrigation purposes.
He was speaking to reporters in Kota Bharu today after he received his second Covid-19 vaccine dose.
The Nenggiri dam will be located in the Gua Musang district of Kelantan and will span 5,384ha. For comparison, Putrajaya is 4,900ha.
The project was part of the 11th Malaysia Plan launched in 2015 by the Najib Abdul Razak-administration. Preliminary works are expected to begin in 2022.
Pressure group Jaringan Orang Asli Kelantan (JKOAK) has gathered 3,000 signatures for a petition against the building of the dam due to the environmental cost and the flooding of land deemed important to the Orang Asli community in the vicinity.
The petitioners alleged that the Orang Asli in the vicinity will lose a large part of their customary forage land which will limit hunting and accesses to natural resources.
They also claimed that the dam would flood sites of cultural and religious significance to the Orang Asli, such as Gua Cha and Gua Chawan.
Commenting on the petition, Amar alleged that the protest was invalid because the affected Orang Asli communes will be relocated.
"The proposed new settlements had been resolved. (The matters raised in the petition) should not arise. The (affected) Orang Asli communities agreed to relocate not far from their original dwellings.
"I find it strange that this matter is being raised by JKOAK. To me, they are playing politics. They are not a registered body. We've told them that we can't engage them because they are not an official group representing the Orang Asli.
"To us, the Jakoa (Orang Asli Development Department) is the official representative of the Orang Asli," he said.
Jakoa is a federal government agency overseen by the Rural Development Ministry.
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