Lights on at Sabah village for first time on Malaysia Day

Malaysia Day this year was most meaningful for the residents of Kampung Barambang in the interiors of Ranau, Sabah because for the first time, the village was lit up by electricity.

Before the momentous day, the villagers relied on dim lamps using dammar fuel which does not last very long.

Today, the village is lit up by micro-hydrolight, powered by hydroelectricity harnessed through a system built by volunteers from NGO Light Up Borneo.

“Our difficulties with reading (at night), sending our children to school in the early mornings and any other activity at night are now overcome after the micro- hydrolight was installed,” said villager, Alex Kigiwit when contacted.

Kampung Barambang villagers set up electric lights in their homes for the first time ever.

The installation, which took about five days, brought light to some 12 families who had long waited for electricity supply, project coordinator BK Ong said.

He said some 30 volunteers from Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia as well as residents of Kampung Barambang built the system, which generates electricity from river currents.

Light up Borneo volunteers who cooperated with locals to build a hydroelectric system to bring electricity to the remote village in Sabah.

The volunteers comprised of teachers, engineers, nurses, lawyers and engineering students from University Malaysia Sabah.

“This special Malaysia Day celebration was done with the objective of bringing together Malaysians from the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak so true unity can be inculcated,” said Ong.

Installing electricity poles for the first time at Kampung Barambang, Sabah.

The project is also aimed to bridge the gap between urban and rural dwellers, he added.

To celebrate the project’s success, rock band Estranged, who also joined the expedition, performed at the village.

The journey to Kampung Barambang from Kota Kinabalu takes about five hours by land, with an hour dedicated to reaching the Kampung Barambang proper in the interior by four-wheel-drive vehicles due to unpaved roads.

On the way back to Kota Kinabalu, one of the volunteers’ vehicles broke down and had to be left behind. The four-wheel-drive is still stranded there.

Morning mist at Kampung Barambang.

However, this did not weaken Light Up Borneo’s resolve to continue on their mission to bring electricity to as many Sabah and Sarawak interior villages as well as to Orang Asli settlements in Pahang in the future.

Light Up Borneo is an organisation dedicated to providing 24-hour electricity supply to the interior regions using micro-hydropower. The system uses river currents to move turbines which generate electricity.

A Sumazau performance to celebrate the successful installation of electricity at Kampung Barambang, Sabah.

 

-Mkini