State govt to meet PM to finalise Bakun purchase

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KUCHING: The state government will meet up with the Prime Minister to finalise the buying over of Bakun dam from the federal government, revealed Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

The Bakun Dam project is worth a staggering RM7.3 billion and is owned by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated.

Sarawak has shown keen interest to acquire the dam as it needed extra power to implement its’ projects under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).

“We are going to have a meeting with the prime minister (on the Bakun Dam). We are waiting for him to arrange his time,” Taib told the media after launching the Sarawak Foundry and Engineering Industry Association Building and Automotive and Wielding Institute of Sarawak at Demak Laut Industrial Estate Phase II, here yesterday.

Sarawak has placed RM7 billion to bid for Bakun Dam.

Meanwhile, Taib who is also the Minister of Planning and Resources Management said Sarawak was targeting to harness 7,000 megawatts of power, mainly from hydro-electricity by 2020 to attract investors into SCORE.

He said among the projects that would require high-intensive power supply are aluminium smelting plants, magnesium plants, pulp and paper plants, glass panel plants and shipbuilding.