4 October 2023
Topik Pada Hari Ini:
> Dennis Along, Pengerusi Persatuan Miri Tering dan Pengarah Komunikasi PKR Baram - Kontroversi Mengelilingi Empangan Hidroelektrik Baram
> Simon Siah, Peguam Hak Asasi Manusia dari Sarawak - TYT Kembali dan Sidang Dewan Negeri pada November
> George Laeng dari Uma Akeh di Baram - Orang Asal Baram Menentang Empangan
On Today Show
> Dennis Along, Chairman of the Miri Tering Association and PKR Baram communications director – Controversy Surrounds Baram Hydro-Electric Dam: Indigenous Voices Speak Out
> Simon Siah, Human rights lawyer from Sarawak – TYT's Return and the November State Assembly Sitting
> George Laeng from Uma Akeh in Baram – Baram's Indigenous Voices Against the Dam
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Special Randau
1. Najib - Court of Appeal judge Azizah Nawawi has recused herself from chairing the three-person bench initially set to hear former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s appeal to reinstate his wrongful prosecution suit against former attorney-general Tommy Thomas.
2. Muhyiddin Yassin applies for DNAA on three charges of money laundering.
3. Muhyiddin Yassin's son-in-law - documents from the MACC were handed over to Interpol by the PDRM yesterday to trace Muhyiddin Yassin's son-in-law through an Interpol red notice.
4. Presentation of Budget 2024 on October 13th - by PMX.
5. Bakun residents demand an explanation from SEB and the Sarawak government regarding the safety level of the Bakun dam and whether it can be repaired.
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Dennis Along- Chairman of the Miri Tering Association and PKR Baram communications director
*Controversy Surrounds Baram Hydro-Electric Dam: Indigenous Voices Speak Out*
In a surprising turn of events, the picturesque Marudi Waterfront recently bore witness to a startling announcement by Sarawak Premier Abang Johari during the Baram Regatta's opening speech. The Premier unveiled the Sarawak government's ambitious plan to construct the Baram hydro-electric dam, leaving the gathered crowd shocked and stunned.
Dennis Along, who was present during the announcement, is among the voices of dissent against this development. He criticizes the Sarawak government, particularly the GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) administration, for what he perceives as pride and arrogance in pushing forward with the project without proper consultation with the local communities.
The Premier is well aware of the historical opposition to the Baram dam by the people of Baram. Previous protests and blockades aimed at preventing its construction have been met with resistance. Yet, despite this, the Premier chose to announce the dam's intention without engaging in meaningful dialogue with the affected communities.
This announcement has ignited a wave of protest from the residents of Baram, who are determined to continue their efforts to halt the dam's construction. Their protests, however, are not without reason.
The people of Baram have witnessed firsthand the adverse effects of hydro dam construction in other regions, such as Bakun, Murum, and Batang Ai. These projects have resulted in the displacement of residents who often find themselves in new locations without clear plans for their future.
Even after 25 years, the indigenous people of Bakun still struggle with poverty, with a stark absence of basic facilities like ATM machines in their settlements. In Murum, essential services like schools and clinics were not adequately provided for Penan residents.
Furthermore, those living downstream of the dams live in perpetual fear due to the potential risk of structural failures, which can have devastating consequences for their communities.
Dennis Along's numerous visits to these affected areas have solidified his belief that the Baram dam, like its predecessors, will not bring tangible benefits to the indigenous people. Instead, he contends that it will primarily serve the interests of GPS-associated individuals who stand to gain lucrative contracts worth millions of ringgit.
The determination of the people of Baram to oppose the dam's construction reflects a broader struggle for the preservation of their rights over the vast lands and forests that have been their home for generations. In their eyes, the proposed dam represents not progress, but rather an intrusion that threatens their way of life and ancestral heritage.
As the controversy surrounding the Baram hydro-electric dam intensifies, it serves as a reminder of the importance of inclusive and transparent decision-making processes that genuinely consider the welfare of the affected communities. The voices of indigenous peoples like Dennis Along and the people of Baram are a vital part of this conversation, advocating for a more equitable and sustainable future for all.
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Simon Siah, Human rights lawyer from Sarawak
*TYT's Return and the November State Assembly Sitting*
The current situation regarding our governor, who recently returned to the state after undergoing medical treatment overseas, raises some important questions. During his absence, Sarawak was under the stewardship of the acting governor, but there hasn't been any official announcement thus far regarding whether he has resumed his duties or if Acting Governor Awang Asfia, who also serves as the Assembly speaker, is still fulfilling that role.
In accordance with the law, when the governor's health prevents him from performing his duties, the State Assembly speaker assumes the role of acting governor. However, Sarawak's institutional provisions, as outlined in Article 2, offer an alternative route. If members of the State Assembly believe that the governor is unfit to carry out his responsibilities, they can initiate a vote to remove him from office and replace him with someone else. Alternatively, the governor himself may choose to step down if he feels incapable of fulfilling his duties, in which case the acting governor would continue in his place.
As of the current moment, the exact situation remains unclear. If the governor has fully recovered and is ready to resume his duties, it is likely that he will officiate at the upcoming State Assembly sitting scheduled for November. Clarity on this matter will provide important insights into the leadership of Sarawak moving forward.
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George Laeng from Uma Akeh in Baram
*Baram's Indigenous Voices Against the Dam*
George Laeng states that a dam should not be built in Baram. He emphasizes that the lesson learned from the Ulu Bakun Sg Asap community losing their territory and land should not be repeated in Baram. It doesn't make sense, he argues, to force the people to choose between electricity and crocodiles, implying that such a choice is unreasonable. He calls on the government not to deceive the indigenous people.
Laeng suggests that if the government wants to build something beneficial, they should consider constructing better roads or infrastructure for the people without taking away the ancestral lands to build a dam. He questions why the government can supply electricity to neighboring countries when there are still many areas in Sarawak without electricity despite existing dams. In Baram, people continue to rely on generators (Gensets) or solar power, with no connection to the so-called dam for electric supply.