Covid Be Dammed! Should Baleh Construction Continue? | Broadcast 5 May 2020

ENGLISH - On today’s show, we react to YB James Masing’s assertion that construction of the Baleh dam must go on, Covid crisis be damned! An essential service, he seems to think, that requires special consideration in the middle of this health crisis.

We speak first to Peter Kallang and Thomas Jalong, whose five-year protest saw a moratorium against the dam in Baram. Peter says that this is simply the worst time to be making the kind of commitments that come with these mega-projects. In previous dam cases, communities like Sungai Asap were promised job opportunities and all kinds of incentives and yet, many of them ended up bankrupt and headed to town for work. In the wake of a Covid crisis, that is the last thing the state needs. Even worse is the risk to the rural folk of Baleh of importing a workforce, which could potentially be carrying the infection with them.

Meanwhile, Thomas Jalong accuses Masing of putting the economy of the construction and energy sectors over the health of his own constituents. With Kapit currently a green zone, are they seriously planning to ship in workers from outside on this China-linked construction project? He admits that there has not been the same level of protest for this dam as there was for Baram but that could be a lack of awareness and poor information. But there won’t be any protest possible during MCO anyway!

Over in Sabah, there is another mega-dam project causing consternation. Diana Sipail tells us that this was once named the Kaiduan Dam, a project under BN a decade ago, and the subject of massive protests by the indigenous people of Penampang and Papar. But the last election came with promises that this would be put on hold. Lo and behold, the project was simply relocated a few miles upriver, dusted off, renamed, repackaged and restarted, as if the people would not notice. Another broken promise and another protest in the making, once the people are able to come out of their lockdown at least.

Meanwhile Jefferi Chang of Save Open Spaces Sabah tells us that Tanjung Aru Eco Development in Kota Kinabalu is also full steam ahead despite assurances that it would be shelved. The TAED is linked to the dam, which will provide water for the thousands of hotel guests and golf courses that come with the planned project. But all the money spent on the project could prove to be another white elephant in a post-Covid tourism market and besides, it was only ever likely to make a giant profit for a tiny handful of people. Better preserve the profit for the pandemic fallout.

Tune in for all this and more, including our usual Berita Menoa. Semoa Kitai Tau Bejako!

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IBAN - Dalam progrem Radio Nyawa Sarawak lemai tu, kitai dulu ngenang YB James Masing ti madah tekat hydro di Btg. Baleh mesti digaga, penusah laban covid nadai dikibuh! lya minta atur dikena ngereja pengawa ti beguna lebuh menua ti tasah labah penyakit diatu.

Kami bisi berandau enggau Peter Kallang seduai Thomas Jalong ti lima taun tu kimpin nagang perintah ngaga tekat hydro ba Btg. Baram. Petet madahka ukai maya ti engkeman endur berunding deka ngaga projek ti besai ungkus. Lebuh perintah ti ngaga tekat hydro Bakun, mayuh amat semaya dikena nipu orang ti di Sg. Asap diatu, asil nya ngujungka mayuh sida bankrap diatu lalu  pindah gawa ka nengeri. Penusah ti besai nuntung orang di menua Balleh nya kuli ari menua bukai tau mai penyakit ti ngerampit orang di menua nya.

Thomas Jalong, nuduhka Masing balat agi ibuhka penatai duit lalu empayaka pengerai enggau nyawa orang di menua Baleh. Di Kapit diatu nadai penyakit covid berampit, kati sida amat deka ngambi kuli ari menua China gawa ba tekat hydro Baleh nya? lya madah orang nadai mayuh tauka balat nyakal ngaga projek nya enti dibandingka enggau pemalat enggau pemayuh orang ti nyakal langgur ti deka ngaga tekt hydro di Btg. Baram, nyangka mayuh rayat enda nemu penerang pasal projek nya, tauka orang enggai nyakal maya perintah bejalaika Atur Besekat Pemindah diatu.

Di Sabah perintah deka ngaga siti agi tekat hydro. Diana Sipail madahka nya dikumbai tekat hydro Kaiduan ti dilanggur digaga perintah Barisan sepuluh taun suba, tang orang asal di Penampang enggau  Papar mayuh sereta balat nyakal. Diatu projek nya digaga semina brapa batu kulu ka agi ngejangka endur ti diambu dulu. Tu siti semaya tipu dikena kimpin maya bepilih suba, kati rayat di menua nya diatu buta sereta bengal maya perintah bejalaika Atur Besekat Pemindah.

Jefferi Chang ari Save Open Spaces Sabah madahka kompini Tanjung Aru Eco Development TAED di Kota Kinabalu majak ngaga projek sida taja udah besemaya ngemuntanka projek nya. Kompini TAED bisi kaul enggau projek tekat hydro Kaidun ba sungai ti ngeluarka ai ti guna beribu temuai ti diau ba hotel enggau ba padang golf. Tang duit tebasau ngapa dikena ngaga projek ti nadai dipeguna lebih agi laban nadai temuai datai maya covid diatu. Manah agi duit nya dikena nyaga pengerai rayat.

Pendingka cherita bukai nyengkaum Berita Menua ari Radio Nyawa Sarawak  lemai tu. Semua Kitai Tau Bejaku!