Nenggiri dam: Timber, artefacts and minerals to be extracted first

Timber, minerals and archaeological artefacts will be extracted from the site of the Nenggiri dam before construction begins.

Kelantan deputy menteri besar Mohd Amar Abdullah said this had been agreed upon with project owner Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB).

"If (these assets) are submerged, we can't do anything about it. Thus, we have discussed the matter with TNB. Proceeds will go to the (state) government.

"The area will involve 2,023ha. I'm not sure (of the specifics) with regard to the logging area.

"This area also contains minerals. We will allow a company to extract the minerals until it is submerged," he told the press at the state cabinet meeting yesterday.

The RM5 billion Nenggiri hydroelectric project is expected to be operational by mid-2027 and generate 300 megawatts of electricity.

Officials look at a model of the Nenggiri hydroelectric project

Apart from timber and minerals, artefacts from Gua Cha will also be removed for preservation.

"TNB is working with a team of researchers from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia to determine who will relocate those artefacts," he said.

Gua Cha is one of the country’s most famous archaeological sites as it contains evidence of human activity dating back to 10,000 years ago.

The project has received pushback from NGOs and the Orang Asli community living in the area as they will lose their ancestral land for the development plan. - Mkini