Bakun hydro dam, with the capacity to generate 2,400 megawatt of electricity, will eventually create a lake much bigger than the size of Singapore with numerous islands. Understandably, its development in the middle of the jungles of Belaga, with rugged terrains, has been inviting a lot of controversies mainly from foreign NGOs in the name of environment and the human watch groups. The local opposition groups have also quick to find faults with the government to score political points.
Besides, Bakun hydro dam, which started as a commercial entity, had to change hands a number of times at various stages of development from the private sector to the State government, Government-link companies to the Federal government. Besides, its development had to be suspended as the aftermath of the Asian Financial crisis in 1997/1998.
At one time, nobody believed that Bakun hydro dam could become a profitable venture. Obviously, it is so now. The state has offered to buy the dam for RM7 billion but it is yet to receive the reply from the relevant authority. This alone speaks volume of the fact that Bakun hydro dam is a profitable venture.
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| Navigating the cigar-shaped speedboat across the rapids requires a lot of skill to avoid hitting the rocks or capsizing the boat. Accidents happen frequently in this area. |
Its initial development was fraught with problems as the people, comprising of Kayans, Kenyahs, kelabits, Penan and numerous sub-ethnic groups in 11 longhouses in Ulu Belaga had to be resettled in Sg. Asap. The opposition and foreign NGOs were quick to instigate the affected people that the resettlement exercise actually caused them unnecessary hardship.
Generally, most of the affected people had been living in abject poverty. The government had to spend millions of ringgit to build new houses, provide clean water and electricity supplies, public facilities and other amenities for them.
Fortunately, as they learned to adapt to the new environment, they started to find new ways of earning their living, developing their land or catching fish like Empurau, which is known to be most expensive fish that can easily catch a price of RM600 per kilo. The outsiders only highlighted all the negative things about the resettlement schemes and nothing about the positive things being done by the government to help the people.
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| The vast lake created by the Bakun Dam is ideal for a large scale caged-fish industry and ecotourism |
Generally, the people in Belaga, those in the resettlement schemes in particular, are enjoying a better standard of living than those in their traditional longhouses before the development of Bakun hydro dam.
Hopefully, the construction of Murum hydro dam, now in various stages of development, will be spared of problems and controversies surrounding the development of Bakun hydro dam. Obviously, if the water can be controlled and used to generate electricity, it will also have values.
The State Government has been able to raise huge investments for the development of gigantic projects like Bakun and Murum hydro dams with its track record of having the support of the people and being capable and efficient in managing the resources. It has been able to command the confidence of foreign investors to lend a huge sum of money to undertake such projects.
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Promising Ecotourism : The Treasures Of Bakun |
Generally, foreign investors recognize that the State government has been able to govern and develop the State successfully. They are ready to give big loans to Sarawak with the knowledge that it has the capability to pay back the loans. Hence, it is incumbent upon the people to build on the success to move forward towards the year 2020 and beyond.
Chief Minister, Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud says the development of SCORE is a way to use the local strength to raise bigger investments to develop the potentials of water resources to become the new source of wealth for Sarawak.
Sarawak has been fortunate that the present Prime Minister, Dato Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Abdul Razak and all the previous Prime Ministers have been very sympathetic towards the development and progress of Sarawak. The first Prime Minister, Allahyarham Tunku Abdul Rahman, the second Prime Minister Allahyarham Tun Abdul Razak, who was also the Minister of Rural Development, the third Prime Minister, Allahyarham Tun Hussein Onn, the Fourth Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed and the fifth Prime Minister, Tun Haji Abdullah Ahmad Bedawi had all been giving the necessary support to Sarawak for it to move forward.
Besides, the current Prime Minister has been able to convince the world of Malaysia’s capability to accelerate the pace of development towards the year 2020 and beyond; foreign investors are willing to come forward to invest in our development. Thus far we have been very successful in our nation-building efforts.
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| Bakun Eco Centre |
However, the State’s fortune can turn into despair if the people take risk by indulging in negative politics that make them to become lazy, instigate them to quarrel among themselves and raise religious and communal issues. For example, the Ibans as Christians have been allowed to use the word Allah in their prayers without the complaints from Malay Muslims.
Regrettably, the outsiders have resorted to harp on racial and religious issues to instigate the people to go against the government. Those who are involved in spinning the propaganda can be considered as the most dangerous poison in the State.
They, unlike leaders of Barisan Nasional, can be considered as people who do not have love for the State. They like to play politics and have the inclinations to instigate the Rakyat to go against the government or play one group against the other.
Pehin Sri Abdul Taib, who is also the Chairman of the State Barisan Nasional, says as the people want greater progress and prosperity, they must resolved to reject individuals, mainly outsiders who are propagating negative politics of defiance, hatred and dissensions among them. In this respect, conscientious efforts must be made by the local people to preserve political harmony as a pre-requisite to accelerate the pace of development towards realizing the objectives of vision 2020.
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| School at Sg Assap Settlement |
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| Some of the affected Penan Families |
In this respect, all component parties of the State Barisan Nasional comprising of PBB, SUPP, PRS and SPDP have all agreed to reject negative politics as the parties are committed to maintain political stability, peace and harmony in the State. They are committed to work together to provide the backbone of the struggle to bring development to the people and the State.
Generally, followers of the parties nurture and propagate positive values in politics with the realization that they had to maintain political stability, peace and harmony in Sarawak with the people comprising of various ethnic and religious groups.
It is projected that Sarawak will become the richest state in Malaysia by the year 2030, not the poorest any more. However, the State government must continue to plan and implement development programs properly.
In this respect, the State government is carrying out the Federal initiative of Economic Transformation Program (ETP) with similar objectives but with a bit of modification in the approach to suit local conditions, which are different as compared with those in Semenanjung Malaysia. Sarawak has a population of 2.5 million people, who are living in settlements spreading over a wide area; some of them are still very difficult to visit.
Basically, the implementation of the New Economic Model entails the process of migrating from the medium income to the higher income economy to create more opportunities for the people to raise their levels of income.
The structure necessitates that at least 30% of the workers must be well trained technically, professionally and managerially to enable them to earn salaries in the high income bracket. They are expected to introduce greater elements of innovations into their services.
benuasains
*Photos Source:
http://bakunhomestayonline.blogspot.com
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