Posted by cobbold

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Sabah Natives Strikes Back….”we’ll defend our lands and rights with our lives”
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Dato’Seri Najib’s infamous 1Malaysia, People First, Performance Now slogan is now nothing more than just hot air and hogwash. Sabah’s indigenous communities in the interior of Penampang are bemoaning and up in arms against the RM 2.8 Billion Kaiduan Dam which has been approved by the State Government of Sabah. The dam which has yet to obtain any Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Social Impact Assessment was given the nod by the State Cabinet via a Letter of Intent(right) to WCT Berhad - yes the same contractor as the Kota Kinabalu International Airport.

The dam, if allowed to commence construction, will submerge 12 square km of forest and agricultural lands. What is worse, it will totally wipe out 9 villages that have been there for hundreds of years. This is a clear violation of the rights of the natives of Penampang for “Prior Free and Informed Consent” must be obtained as stated in the United Nations Declaration on the rights of indigenous people of which Malaysia is a signatory.

The affected villages are Buayan, Terian, Babagon Laut, Timpayasa, Tiku, Longkogungan, Kalanggaan, Pongobonon and Kionop. In addition agricultural land in the 5 villages of Bolotikan, Koiduan, Bisuang, Kogopon and Limbahau alongside the Papar river will be severely affected; notwithstanding the complete destruction of the historical heritage and the unique biological and eco-system of Papar and the Crocker range.

I visited one of the would be affected villages and had the opportunity to speak to Nousi Giun, Chairman of the Joint Action Committee against the dam. It’s unbelievable and shocking that after 46 years on the formation of Malaysia, our journey to the village is a clear shame with all the government slogans and promises-the infrastructures are pathetically still 46 years behind time. To sum up my 1 hour chat with Nousi Giun - he made it explicitly clear that “they’re not interested in any compensation, relocation or compromise. We will defend our native land with our lives”. The population of the 9 affected villages is approximately 2500, all bonafide Sabahan natives.

What is even more mind-boggling is that WCT Berhad had the cheek to state in their feasibility study report to the State Government that the “dammed dam site” was uninhabited, which is clearly misleading. No one came to the ground and consulted us, added Nousi. The villager’s plight is also supported by environmentalist and renowned NGO’s such as PACOS, JICA and JOAS among others who have also provided financial aid in uplifting the living standards of the villagers running in millions.

On the political front and for the record, Penampang is under UPKO, a component member of the coalition of UMNO/Barisan Nasional. The MP who was once rejected by his own constituents is none other than Tan Sri Bernard Dompok. It was reliably learnt that Bernard’s silence was because of UMNO’s involvement in this dam project. What is even more shocking is that while the natives of Penampang are being ousted from their own lands, Bernard Dompok is busy opening UPKO branches in West Malaysia and recruiting the Orang Asli as members.

Recently as well, I had this rare opportunity in engaging with Datuk Masidi Manjun-Sabah Minister of Tourism and Environmental in Facebook. The engagement was so intense that he flip flop in his text. He had the cheek to claim ignorance in the Koiduan Dam project and further added that even Bernard Dompok is also unaware of the Dam which is costing RM 2.8 Billion of tax payers money. If this is not conscientious stupidity, then Sabahans have voted a bunch of morons into government. Is the Sabah Government being administered by a kitchen cabinet, and on a need to know basis? Who is actually calling the shots in Sabah?

The Koiduan Dam is said to be 3 times larger than the Babagon Dam, also situated in Penampang and richly surrounded by timber. Interestingly enough, during my visit, I noticed that logging has already started which perhaps is one of the reasons why the government is adamant in pursuing the project.

The question to ask here is, “Is this development or destruction? If it’s development for whom is it and at whose expense?”

Are Sabah’s natives part of One Malaysia or Gone Malaysia?

The government always seems to be putting the cart before the bull - all under the name of development - a convenient and useful catch-word to camouflage corruption, arrogance and incompetence.

A memorandum is currently in the process and the villagers will not hesitate to hand-deliver the memorandum to his Majesty our beloved King, if the State Government of Sabah proceeds with the dam. Charles Gau