Malaysia’s politicians authorize a spate of dams they don’t appear to need

Lee Poh Onn
22 August 2008

Plans to build 12 new dams in Sarawak, allegedly to meet power demands for decades to come, have recently been uncovered despite the fact that the state has 20 percent more capacity than it needs now - before the controversial Bakun Dam comes online in 2011, bringing with it even more overcapacity.

When news of the projects became public, environmentalists were up in arms. The two existing dams in Sarawak, Batang Ai Dam completed and Bakun Dam nearing completion, were accompanied by a range of widely publicized socio-economic and environmental repercussions worrying enough for the anti-dam faction to exhibit public outrage.

The pro-dam faction, Sarawak's ruling polity, its electricity board, business conglomerates and businesspeople, see the benefits, given that Sarawak has major waterways and a river system that can be drawn into the process of producing hydroelectricity. They also say dams can provide a clean source of energy and, in addition, help Malaysia to diversify away from fossil fuels which in the past year have witnessed skyrocketing prices.

Dams are also regarded as supplying clean energy which does not add to the carbon footprint. Industries generate growth and in turn create employment opportunities, and so the official line goes. Importantly, public projects like these have been known to enrich the private coffers of those in power.

The Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy, launched in February 2008, is expected to add 1.5 million jobs in the state by 2030 and increase GDP by 5.5 percent per annum. The corridor would include a whole range of industries from downstream oil-based production and aquaculture to aluminium smelting and specialized glass making.

For example, the Australian mining giant, Rio Tinto Aluminium Ltd, has expressed an interest in setting up a RM7 billion smelting plant with Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd, of which two of the chief minister's sons are key directors. Rio Tinto will reportedly need half of the total energy (1200 MW) produced by the Bakun dam, expected to be completed by 2011. Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) has also signed a MoU to supply energy to Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) in Peninsula Malaysia.

The anti-dam group -- environmental NGOs, indigenous communities, some members in opposition parties in Sarawak -- have expressed alarm about the proposal to construct the new dams and the in-principle go-ahead given to another dam, the Murum.

The anti-dam forces have plenty of justification for concern, when their point of reference is the Bakun dam. The host of environmental issues, social impact on indigenous communities, engineering problems and cost overruns, and vested interests of the polity have been widely documented in the Malaysian press and NGO websites. In fact, the experience is generating grave concerns that history will repeat itself.

When the Bakun dam was approved in 1986, it involved the resettlement of 10,000 people from about 15 indigenous communities and the flooding of an area the size of Singapore. Studies have shown that the resettled communities have been under-compensated, biodiversity resources were compromised, native community rights have been overridden, and those ousted have experienced hardships which have not been adequately addressed by the state government even up to now.

Barring future cost overruns, the total cost of the dam is expected to be a whopping RM21 billion (about RM15 billion will be used to construct the proposed cable to link Sarawak to Peninsula Malaysia, which will only commence after the dam has been completed).

In the latest twist, in July 2008 Sime Darby pulled out from the mega project and relinquished both its ownership option and its involvement in constructing the undersea cable to channel electricity from Sarawak to peninsula Malaysia. The conglomerate cited economic factors although it said it would continue in its role as contractor and complete the construction of the dam itself.

Meanwhile, the state and federal governments have been attempting to allay public concerns by saying the project is progressing well and that the government is open to offers from other companies interested in completing the cable. The Second Finance Minister, Nor Mohamed Yakcop, has said that the government would seek new contractors to complete the undersea cables. The first cable is expected to be ready by 2013, the second by 2015.

Environmentalists have also repeatedly highlighted that the construction of the Bakun dam was due to vested political interests and grandiose plans of the then-prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad and Chief Minister of Sarawak Taib Mahmud. In 1994, the contract was awarded by the Sarawak government without tender to Ekran Berhad, a construction company owned by Ting Pek Khiing, a close ally to both leaders. Ting himself was a timber businessman, with no experience in dam construction. Subsequently, the project was shelved because of the financial crisis and Ekran's problems with its contractors.

The state cites rising fossil fuel prices which make energy sources generated from dams economically more viable. But for Sarawak, supplying energy from Bakun to the peninsula may not be viable as estimates have put the costs to as high as 30 sen (US 9 cents) per kilowatt hour if the undersea cable is completed. Currently, Tenaga only pays RM 17 sen for each kilowatt of energy. Furthermore, Sarawak already currently has 20 percent overcapacity in its electricity supplies (it has 900 MW but only consumes 700 MW excluding the 2400 MW energy that will be supplied when the Bakun dam is completed). And Peninsula Malaysia has about 30 percent overcapacity in its present energy demands.

So where does this lead to? Should the state government carry on as usual and go about constructing the new dams in spite of concerns expressed by environmentalists?

Rest assured, the federal government will not have much say in the matter after the watershed March 8, 2008 national elections. The talk by Anwar Ibrahim, leader of the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PKR) coalition, of possible defections by MPs in Sabah and Sarawak after the upcoming September by-elections of the Permatang Pauh seat and PKR's offer to up petroleum royalties from the current 5 percent to 20 percent is enough to silence the ruling Barisan Nasional leaders on voicing their concerns over the economic viability of these additional dams. As such, the Sarawak government will be pretty much left to its own devices.

However, the state government should note that the backlash in the federal elections could also happen in Sarawak. Local elections are in 2011, though it is well known that the chief minister could call for early ones. The Sarawak government cannot continue to construct the new dams without listening to the voice of its indigenous communities and environmentalist NGOs.

The 2006 state elections in Sarawak itself already serve as a warning of things to come as nine seats were lost to the opposition. Previously, opposition parties only held two or at most three seats.

Although a change of government is unlikely, the opposition will likely increase its stronghold if the present ruling coalition continues to ignore public outcry over environmental excesses, in addition to ignoring the welfare of the Dayak communities in the state, which make up more than 40 percent of Sarawak's population.

Issues that are now pressing the state are adequately addressing its native customary rights in land ownership, providing adequate compensation for the revocation of land, opening discussions with the various stakeholders, and also a proper dispute settlement mechanism to avoid a repeat of the Bakun dam grievances which could lead to a state election debacle in 2011, similar to the Barisan's loss in March 2008.

[The writer is a fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore. His research interests are in environmental management issues in Southeast Asia. The views expressed here are his own.]

MNS: Convert Ulu Muda Forest Reserve into a National Park

18 Aug 2008

ALOR STAR: The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) will propose to the Kedah government that the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve be converted into a national park.

The proposal will be submitted through Derga state assemblyman Dr Chia Soon Hai during the next state assembly sitting.

"This is an alternative to consider instead of the plan to log for timber at the water catchment area," he said at the "Save the Ulu Muda Forest" forum here yesterday.

There was no representative from the state government at the forum.
"If the forest reserve is converted into a national park, it will be protected and can be a source of income for the state government.

"The forest reserve is a repository of biodiversity and should be gazetted into a national park."

Chia said the Federal Government should support the proposal and assist the state government in turning the forest reserve into a national park.

"We cannot allow logging there. Water from the catchment is not only used in Kedah, but also in Perlis and Penang. Water is also piped to Langkawi."

The Ulu Muda forest is home to elephants and other wildlife. There were also more than 10 salt licks in the reserve.

Kedah Malaysian Nature Society chairman Phang Fatt Kow said the Ulu Muda forest would be the largest national park in the northern region.

According to the Bird Conservation Council of MNS, Ulu Muda is also an important bird area.
"There is evidence of a rare species of hornbill - the plain- pouched hornbill," he said.

The panel of speakers at the forum included nature lovers and environmentalists from MNS, World Wide Fund Malaysia, Water Watch Penang, Muda Agricultural Development Authority and Sahabat Alam Malaysia.

Nuclear Energy in Malaysia!

MELAKA, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry will submit to the Cabinet late next month a comprehensive proposal to include nuclear energy as an energy source for generating electricity.

Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili said the working paper, which was ready, covered the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, legal and security aspects.

"After it is tabled to the cabinet, an announcement will be made on our commitment to further preparations," he told reporters after opening an international conference and workshop on protection from radiation and launching the book, "Radiografi Industri-Prinsip dan Praktik", here last night.

Dr Ongkili said the Malaysian Nuclear Agency was the lead agency to coordinate and manage the planning, preparations and development for the use of nuclear energy as a power source in the country in future.

Malaysia had experts who had studied and researched nuclear technology as a safe new source of power.

"This nuclear energy is vital following the increase in the world fuel price and our limited oil reserve. Moreover, nuclear energy is cheap and clean," he said.

-- BERNAMA

BUT, Nuclear Power is no solution to Climate Change :

Read: Climate Change Briefing "Nuclear power is no solution to climate change: exposing the myths",

and, Nuclear power:exploding the myths

Damn dams!

Construction of 12 hydroelectric dams in Sarawak is disastrous to the environment and indigenous groups

According to the Sarawak state government, the combined total of 7,000 MW from the 12 proposed dams was necessary for large energy-intensive industries like aluminium smelter plants and for export - primarily to Peninsula Malaysia.

We question the sustainability of the project and raise concerns voice for the environment and the heritage sites as a result of the proposed construction of 12 hydroelectric dams in Sarawak.

Although the Sarawak Environment and Public Health Minister Michael Manyin announced that the 12 dams will be built based on mandatory EIAs following existing legislation, we doubt both the independence and credibility of the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and its effectiveness in influencing policy decisions.

According to certain local environmental groups, the government-sponsored EIAs contain falsified information which blatantly served as the tools to legitimize the construction of large dams.

The government must be transparent and release all EIA details pertaining to the dams, so that the public can evaluate the comprehensiveness of the assessments based on universally accepted parameters - taking into account factors such as the safety of human populations.

We should learn the painful lessons from the Bakun dam project that has caused more than 10,000 indigenous people to be displaced in the inferior conditions, and has destroyed primitive tropical forest the size of Singapore.

The 12 dams, like Bakun, will likewise be extravagant and unnecessary in the scale of electricity generation and unjustifiable in environmental and biodiversity destruction. The livelihood and sustainable lifestyle of indigenous communities in an already disadvantaged socio-economic position will be further affected, leading to disillusionment and serious social problems.

据砂劳越州政府表示，砂州有必要兴建总发电量达7000百万瓦特的12个水坝，以便应付一些需要高发电量的工业需求如溶铝厂，也同时输送电量到马来半岛。

我们质疑这项工程的永续性，也关注这12个水坝将为环境及自然遗产带来的破坏。

虽然砂州环境及公共卫生部长迈克曼音宣布上述12个水坝将依据环境评估报告及现有的法律条文来兴建，但是，我们依然怀疑上述环境评估报告的独立性及公信力，以及它是否有足够的份量来影响政策的决定。

根据当地的环境组织指出，由政府出资的环境评估报告含有被歪曲的资料，很显然地，环境评估报告已经成为将水坝工程合法化的工具。

政府必须透明化，公开所有与水坝有关的环境评估报告的细节，以让公众可以重新评估报告的完整性，并将一些普世标准如人类安全问题列入考量范围。

我们应该从巴昆水坝汲取沉痛的教训，上述巨坝工程导致超过1万名原住民流离失所，他们的生活环境变得极度恶劣，也摧毁了犹如一个新加坡般大小的热带原始森林。

上述12个水坝，将与巴昆水坝一样，在发电的规模来说将会显得非常奢侈，对环境及多元物种进行无理的肆虐。此外，原本已经处于弱势地位的原住民群体，他们的生活及永续性的生活方式将会进一步被破坏，进而导致人们的生活理想破灭，衍生严重的社会问题。

Malaysia Should Undertake Research On Renewable Sources Of Energy, Says Expert

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 (Bernama) -- The government should consider undertaking research on other renewable energy sources rather than using nuclear energy in the face of rising global oil price, an expert said today.

President of Physicians for Peace and Social Responsibility, Datuk Dr Ronald McCoy, said Malaysia might not have enough funds to undertake research on renewable sources of energy if it spent more money building nuclear reactors.

"We must look into renewable sources of energy rather than concentrate on economic projects that are unsustainable," he said when speaking at a forum on "Nuclear Abolition Now: Tomorrow May Be Too Late", at the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations, here Monday.

Dr McCoy said it was not a good idea for Malaysia to use nuclear energy if the world price of fossil fuel continued to rise.

"The government should look into alternative sources before resorting to the use of nuclear energy," he said when commenting on the recent move by the government to consider using nuclear energy should the world price of fossil fuel continues to rise.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had said that the government was prepared to use nuclear energy to substitute oil as a long-term alternative to produce electricity if the fuel price continued to surge in the global market.

However, he said, the government would first look for other alternative sources of power such as solar, hydro, biomass and garbage.

Dr McCoy, however, told the forum that there was no other method yet to dispose radioactive waste from nuclear energy, except by burying it deep underground.

"If you have radioactive waste which is going to last for thousands of years and if you can't dispose it, then it will become hazardous to health," he said.

He also refuted claims by certain nuclear energy industries that nuclear energy was considered cheap.

"Nuclear energy is not cheap. The cost of building the facilities is high, the cost of maintenance is high, and of course the cost of re-conditioning the nuclear reactors is very high," he said.

UN Indigenous Peoples’ Day – Survival names ‘unholy trinity’

To mark the UN Day for Indigenous Peoples on 9 August, Survival International today named its ‘unholy trinity’ – the three worst companies abusing tribal peoples’ rights. They are:

1. VEDANTA. This FTSE-100 company is determined to construct a bauxite mine on the sacred hills of the Dongria Kondh tribe in Orissa, India. It has already built a $1 billion aluminium refinery at the foot of the hills. The Dongria Kondh, one of India’s most isolated tribes, are resolutely opposed to the mine, which will destroy them as a people.

2. PERENCO. A Franco-British oil company, Perenco is pushing ahead with drilling in the nothern Peruvian Amazon, despite being warned that its operations risk the lives of uncontacted Indian groups. The company’s plans have attracted two lawsuits from Peru’s Amazon Indians, but it has vowed to carry on. There have already been reports of contact between the oil workers and the isolated Indians.

3. SAMLING. Active in Sarawak, Malaysia, for four decades, Samling has been responsible for logging vast areas of rainforest, including the ancestral lands of the nomadic Penan tribe. The Penan have repeatedly blockaded logging roads in an attempt to halt the devastation of their forest, but much of it has now been destroyed. Many Penan have been arrested, and James Ho, Samling’s Chief Operating Officer, has said, ‘The Penan have no rights to the forest.’

Survival’s Director Stephen Corry said today, ‘Mining, oil drilling and logging – these three companies work in very different fields, but they have one thing in common – a total disregard for the lives of the people whose lands they are destroying. It’s the same old story – these companies want the resources, and don’t care what happens to the people. They may refer to ‘corporate social responsibility’ these days, but few are taken in – it’s the absolute pursuit of profit and the sweeping aside of self-sufficient people.’

For further information please call (+44) (0)20 7687 8734 or (+44) (0)7504 543 367 or email mr@survival-international.org

关于射手座

像我吗？

射手座终极分析

乐观与忧愁：射手座人的内心不是外表看上去那么乐观的，因为喜欢看的远，容易担忧的事情也就多，在他们的字典里，即使现在好，也不一定代表未来好，有时候很多人觉得很好的一个工作或一个伴侣，他们很轻易的就会放弃掉，可能只是因为一个毫不起眼的小原因。所以，这样的外在表现，就让人们觉得他们不喜欢被某件事情或某个人束缚住，追求自由的，没有压力的感觉。
现实：常说射手座是追求梦想的人，但往往忽略了他们现实的一面，算计起来不会比处女座差哦，只是更高明更隐藏罢了。射手座人的梦想是必须建立在现实的基础上的，一般他们很少谈及自己的梦想，而是实际的去做一些向梦想靠拢的事情。如果可以借巧力完成的事情，决不会多花一点工夫。所以有时候射手座也容易给人耍小聪明的感觉。可是，不得不承认他们完成的还满不错。也许终其一生，他们都在考虑怎么巧妙的做一些事情，花最少的精力去达到最好的效果。所以，很多射手座看上去让人们会觉得很懒，但是其实他们的大脑可没有停下过思考现实的事情。
拒绝低俗：几乎所有的射手座内心都是骄傲的，其程度绝不亚于狮子座。只不过他们不会显现在脸上，外在的表现总是随和的，恰当的。可是内在有着极强的自尊心，敏感也情绪化。因为射手座人心中是骄傲的，所以他们拒绝低俗，不喜欢任何俗气的、粗鲁的事或人。如果可以，他们希望一切有关的事物，都是优雅的、高尚的，值得品味的。而真正能让他们觉得值得交朋友或谈恋爱的人是很少的，虽然表面上他们是很随和的。

多情：很多人说射手座多情，尤其是男性。其实在射手座人的心目中，对于爱情确实有理想化的倾向，和他们谈恋爱，是一件高难度的事情。他们非常讨厌俗气的人，所以你不能很物质或喜欢谈钱，但是他们又很现实，所以你不能一文不名，各方面也必须有一定的实力。物质与精神，你必须平衡的刚刚好，才让他们觉得你值得去爱。或者，你有足够的神秘感，可以让他们不知道你的缺点在哪里，而盲目的爱你。一般，当然是没有完美无缺的人的，所以，可能象金牛座这样永远会让射手感觉捉摸不透的闷闷的人，会非常吸引他们；或者象双子那样，足够机智，懂得察言观色，捕捉他们的情绪，才会让他们感觉到爱情的甜蜜。一般射手的感情模式是，第一阶段，你们还不熟悉，他（她）爱上了你，非常热情。第二阶段，你们逐渐熟悉，而他（她）开始龟毛，整天挑剔你的毛病，无论是背地里还是当面。如果你有幸通过他（她）的挑剔过程，基本挑剔出的毛病为零或者你把缺点保密的非常好；那么进入第三阶段，他们就又是忠诚和热情的爱人了。但是基本能通过第二阶段的人非常少，所以有了射手多情一说。其实射手对恋人的挑剔，是源于对爱情的挑剔，对丧失自由感的恐惧。

射手座人的人生，往往是幸运的，因为他们是聪慧的、明朗的、通透的。与众不同，也许是他们终生追求的梦想，希望每一个射手人，可以找到他们的梦想！

人人都说射手座是感情的骗子，对爱情不尊重，只追求片刻的快感，是花心与冲满欲望的象征。朋友们…你们了解射手座最真实的一面吗？ 射手座是大孩子，天真与善良，遇到爱情时，可能让人感觉不认真，付出的比谁都少。可是，知道吗？射手座很想爱，却也很怕爱！刚开始他们只是慢慢的付出，谨慎的爱，好怕自己会受伤。可是在一句一句的爱，一天一天的相处下，射手座把带刺的防备丢掉，开始不顾一切的去爱他们所爱的人，在别人眼中，只是射手座为了达到某种目的而作的行动。可射手座不介意，他会在自己幸福的想象中陶醉，希望对方能感受自己的爱，想对方觉得与自己一齐是幸福的。 在射手座爱上了一个人，他会把自己放到最后。有苦自己承担，可能会因为吵了一场小架而不开心，却也是最快认错，无论谁的错，他们都会包容，知道吗？射手座会因为深爱一个人而原谅他的背叛，会因为你的一句话付出很多。他们爱玩，在玩的同时，也希望把那一份好心情带给你，射手座是乐观的。

人们总觉得射手座的世界很快乐，可是呢？射手座难过时没有人知道，他不想让别人可怜自己，射手座不坚强，可是很善良。在你难过时哄你开心，让你有依靠，分手后，他会哭者去想属于你们俩幸福的回忆，也不想爱的人因为同情而勉强和他一齐。他比谁都希望自己爱的人快乐幸福，却常常忽略了自己，全身都是伤也笑着告诉你，我很好不用担心。

在所有人看到他的笑容以为他没事，却不知道失恋对射手座有多大伤害，华丽的外表下有一颗脆弱的需要别人了解和安慰的心。知道嘛？你的一点关心，心思细腻的射手座会记得你对他的好，把自己的爱毫无保留的送给你，射手座是不被了解的，可他们不会怨谁。他们会傻傻的认为，让我承担吧，别让别人也受到伤害。所以，不要让快乐的射手座痛苦，别让他们最有魅力的笑容成为掩饰痛苦的伪装，认真爱射手座。你会知道射手座的爱，是充满泪水的…