‘Dams built to keep Taib’s CMS in business’

The opposition in Sarawak wants to know if social impact studies were or are being done on the proposed dams.

KUCHING: The opposition here claim that the real reason the state government is constructing 12 hydro-electric dams in Sarawak is to ensure a ‘guaranteed business’ for Cahaya Mata Sarawak (CMS), a company owned by Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s family members.

Making this allegation, Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen said: “I think the whole thing about the state government going on foolhardily on these dam construction is to give a guaranteed business to CMS which is owned by Taib’s family members.

“These dam projects will need a lot of cement and building materials from CMS.”

“The second reason is that under the pretext of constructing the dams, they can go on uninhibited logging activities.

“Those are the real reasons for this foolhardiness,” he added.

Chong said CMS has since its inception in 1974 evolved from being a single product manufacturer of cement in Sarawak to a conglomerate with 40 companies under its wings.

The CMS conglomerate with more than 2,000 employees is involved in cement manufacturing, construction materials, trading, construction, road maintenance, property development, financial services, education and other services.

Chong was commenting on remarks made by the Barisan Nasional MP for Kapit, Alex Nanta Linggi in parliament.

Nanta had bemoaned that nothing had been done to help the people in and around the dams.

He said that the dams would bring billions of ringgit to the nation, state and the contractors at the expense of the local people.

Nanta had suggested that 5% of the funds that had been allocated to the construction of these dams should be channeled to help alleviate the miseries of the people who live within the vicinity of the dams.

Chong, who is Sarawak DAP secretary, agreed with Nantha.

“I fully agree with his statement. I was in Parliament and read the statement. Although the dams can generate three times electricity consumption of Sarawak, yet the villagers beside the dams have no electricity.

“That is the irony,” Chong said.

No social impact studies

Chong said that he was not aware if the EIA reports took into account the social impact of the dam’s construction.

“Like the Bengoh dam, even at the time of impoundment the state government has not done any EIA reports on its social impact.

“And the Bakun hydro-electric dam, the displaced indigenous people who have been resettled at Sungai Asap cannot even earn a living.

“So there are no proper studies or efforts to ensure the indigenous people’s lives are not unduly and adversely affected in the construction of the dams.

“The areas where they have been resettled as Land Development Minister James Masing has admitted are not suitable,” he said.

The state government has so far built Batang Ai and Bakun hydro-electric dams which are now in operation.

The Bengoh dam will be ready at any time while Murum and Baram dams are under construction. Ten more dams are being planned.