Take a year to consider alternatives to Papar Dam, SAPP tells Sabah govt

 

SAPP deputy president Edward Dagul also supports proposal to have water catchment areas and off-river reservoirs, instead of a new dam.

KOTA KINABALU: Perikatan Nasional component Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) has urged the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government to wait for one year before deciding whether to proceed with the controversial Papar Dam project.

Its deputy president, Edward Dagul, said the state government should consider all alternatives in resolving the water woes of the state capital and surrounding areas, instead of persistently pushing for the construction of the controversial dam.

Echoing support for Penampang PPBM chief Senator John Ambrose’s call to scrap the project, he said the government must look at all viable alternatives before making the final decision.

Dagul said this included addressing other contributory factors to the water shortage, such as the poorly maintained and damaged water pipes and pumps, which are in need of repair.

“It does not make economic sense to procure and treat the voluminous amount of water if more than half of what is produced ends up being wasted through leakages and damaged pipelines,” he said in a statement here today.

Earlier this week, Deputy Chief Minister Bung Moktar Radin announced that the Papar dam will be one of two mega projects that will proceed as planned. The other is the Tanjung Aru Eco Development project.

Bung, who is also the state infrastructure development minister, said the government was thinking of shifting the dam back to Penampang, since it could serve the population longer than if it was built in Papar.

Subsequently, NGOs like the Sabah Environmental Protection Association and the Taskforce Against Kaiduan Dam (Takad) criticised the state government over its plans.

Takad described the decision as irresponsible and made without thinking about the fate of the indigenous residents in the area as well as the impact on the environment.

Meanwhile, Dagul said Ambrose’s suggestion of constructing water catchment areas and off-river reservoirs were viable alternatives that warranted serious consideration from the state government.

“Not only are these alternatives quicker to implement, they are also much cheaper. They will minimise the social upheaval in the community that will otherwise be affected by the proposed construction of the dam.

“We, therefore, call for a one-year ‘moratorium’ which should be ample time for the government, local community, the various groups and other affected stakeholders to study, discuss and decide the best way for a win-win solution,” he said. - FMT