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| Sarawak Hydropower projects |
The development of hydro dams each at Murum, Baleh and Pelagus is expected to cost, with continuous increases in the expenditure, between RM8 billion to RM11 billion. However, the success to develop the projects and ability to attract investments to develop industries in the State will be able to cover their costs. Works on Murum dam have already started while feasibility studies are being carried out for the proposed dams each at Baleh and Pelagus. Similar studies are also being carried out for the project in Ulu Baram.
With the development of these projects, the State Government believes that it can change the life of the people from one of hardship to that of progress and advancement. It will be difficult to look for fund merely to construct a road to Kapit, which is a very long stretch of road, as it will not be economically viable. However, the development of hydro projects makes the construction of the long stretch of road, which can be expected to cost billions of ringgit, a necessity.
Basically, the implementation of development programs in the 10th Malaysia Plan can be expected to be more sophisticated and challenging as the ideas are very complicated. Hence, the people cannot expect to lead the old way of life; they have to migrate from the old to the new ways of doing things to enable them to get higher wages. The old generation of workers may get gradual increases in their income based on qualifications and work experiences.
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| SCORE project |
Hence young people, who have higher expectations in terms of salaries and overall incomes, are being encouraged to pursue higher education. It is a way for them to involve more meaningfully by using their knowledge and skills in the process of development.
In the old days, the people worked very had to clear and burn jungles for months but the returns would be minimal only; perhaps just to get some rice from their works. However, things have changed. The people do not plant only Padi but oil palm which can give profits many times bigger.
For this reason, the State government, through appropriate agencies does not only encourage people to plant oil palm but improve the methods of doing so. They are taught to use machine and other modern agricultural tools, like battery operated scythes to collect fruit bunches from the trunks.
Besides, the government wants the local people to manage the running of estates as opposed to just developing them as the works can be done by foreign workers and other people who can be offered cheaper salaries.
Understandably, the government will open up more lands for estates by using cheap foreign workers and encourage the local people to do contract works through which they can get good income for themselves and families. Like in Suai, the people use lorries to transport oil palm fruits from estates to factories. Some of them, who have the necessary qualifications, are engaged as supervisors, accountants, electronics engineers and other professions.
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| Kapit |
In the old days, once the children were sent to schools, those who could pursue tertiary education, did not have opportunities to come back and work in their own areas. However, a number of them should be able to do so in future once development becomes more organized at district and divisional levels. They can become grass root leaders to teach local people how to co-operate among them and with the management.
Basically, the development of Native Estates is to open up NCR land that used to be left idle and under-developed, in order to provide incomes for the owners. The development is based on the formula that at least 30% of the estate must be owned by the land owners. The concept of 30% ownership of Native estate by NCR landowners is being enforced by the Ministry of Land Development. Now about 200,000 hectares of NCR lands have been developed to become estates, where the land owners have shares in them. This is a great achievement for NCR land owners.
This represents the first step of opening up NCR land for commercial purposes. Although it is not a big problem but the people who do not have less than five acres each experience the problems of sustaining their income. The State government is planning to introduce land exchange system through which it can buy land from owners, who cannot sustain their income. The exchange system is only for Bumiputras as non Bumiputras have already owned 70% shares in the estate. Presumably, the operation of land exchange system will help to accelerate the pace of development of NCR land and the land surface of the State as a whole.
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| Song |
The success of Native Estates development can be seen in Kanowit, which can boast of thousands of hectares of such estates. Admittedly, there are teething problems that have to be tackled but the main thing is that conscientious efforts are being made to change the livelihood of NCR land owners from hardship to more comfort, progress and modernity. The development has been able to create opportunities for the new generation of workers to earn good salaries in future.
As can be expected, the second step forward in development is getting more sophisticated. For example, the development of SCORE is using the wealth that was hardly noticed before. Understandably, the State government has been thinking for a long time how to help the people in rural areas, who have been subjected to floods and experiencing a lot of related problems including inaccessibility to such an extent that they cannot even bring their products for sale to towns.
With Bakun dam, now nearing completion for the operation of turbines, the State government has planned to develop hydro dams each at Murum, Baleh and Pelagus. The Bakun dam, once in operation, will be able to generate more than 1,000 megawatt of electricity.
The development of hydro dams each at Murum, Baleh and Pelagus, with continuous increases in the expenditure, is expected to cost between RM8 billion to RM11 billion. However, the success to develop the projects and ability to attract investments to develop industries will be able to cover the costs of the projects.
Works on Murum dam have already started while feasibility studies are being carried out for the proposed dams each at Baleh and Pelagus. Similar studies are also being carried out for the project in Ulu Baram. For example, the proposed development of hydro projects each at Baleh and Pelagus makes the construction of a long stretch of road from Kanowit to Kapit, which can be expected to cost billions of ringgit, a necessity.
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| Pelagus Resort |
Understandably, the State government has already formulated a plan to open up more areas in Kapit region with the primary objective to transform the life of the local people. Now kapit cannot have a bigger population less it will have insufficient food for the people. However, once Tunoh and more hydro projects are being developed, the projects will be able to earn more revenue for Kapit division. For example, a lot of islands will emerge once Bakun hydro dam, which is bigger than Singapore, has been impounded with water. The islands will attract tourists for fishing or just to enjoy themselves right in the middle of the wild. As a consequence, the tourism industry will come up to create more opportunities for the people to develop the market.
The people can have more employment and business opportunities to improve their standard of living. For example, they can turn more longhouses as part of the home stay programs. They can expand their longhouses to provide accommodation to tourists. The construction of roads to Kapit alone will provide better communication and transportation facilities to the people.
These are things that the people should know ahead of them towards the year 2020 and beyond. They can expect to enjoy the same comfort and standard of living as other people anywhere not only in the State but the country as a whole.
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| SMK Kapit No.2 |
The development of gigantic projects requires the people to learn new ways of doing things. Hence, they must endeavor to acquire necessary qualifications to enable them to earn good salaries. This is the world that we are living in today.
That is the rule of life. Generally, the people with knowledge and skills, not only university qualifications, can get high salaries. However, they must be able to work together, exchange ideas and persevere in their jobs. Besides, they must know the shortcuts of how to do things by using machine, apparatus and implements in their jobs.
Beside, the people must open their minds towards the challenges ahead of them; they must have interests to learn new things. Otherwise, they risk being left behind. For example, they should not be contented just to plant padi for rice but venture into new ways of diversifying crops or take other jobs to improve income.
Basically, the people must be willing to learn new things from government servants, who are more accessible to them, businessmen, teachers and others. It is important for them to keep constant link with implementers of development to be able to move forward if they have proper ethic and disciplines in involving themselves in the process of development.
Otherwise, all the development programs that cost up to RM15 billion will not benefit them. Even if the road is being built, if the people do not work with the government, they will not be able to buy motorcars or motorcycles. They cannot lead a more progressive way of living because they do not use opportunities available to them to improve themselves.
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| A scenic view of Mabong Hill located at Tunoh, Baleh |
Hopefully, more people in Kapit will be able to uplift their standard of living through their involvement in the process of development. The young people, if they are properly guided at homes and in schools, should be able to benefit more through their involvement in the process of development. The gigantic projects that will be carried out in Kapit division should be able to benefit the local people, the State and country as a whole.
The development of Tunoh as a new township, hydro power, tourism and planted forests, to produce sufficient wood to manufacture pulp and paper will create employment and business opportunities for the people. Each of the projects will require huge investment but they can be carried out provided the local people can continue to work closely among them and with the government.
benuasains
*Photos Source:
http://www.kapitdc.sarawak.gov.my/galeri.html
http://www.penerangan.gov.my
http://www.kapitro.sarawak.gov.my
google.com images
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