UN rapporteur fact-finding mission to Moyog

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Dainius (centre), Randi (second right), Jenifer (on Dainius’s right) and villagers of Kampung Mongkusilad during the visit yesterday.

PENAMPANG: United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, Dainius Puras, yesterday visited local communities in Moyog here, particularly those affected by hill-cutting activities upstream of the Moyog River.

Dainius, accompanied by another delegate member of the UN, visited a number of locations, including Kampung Togudon, where the hill-cutting and land-clearing activities were taking place, Kampung Mongkusilad and Kampung Notoruss, where a quarry project had also met with objections from the local communities.

The visit was part of their collection of information from the local communities on how the said activities had directly and indirectly affected the livelihood and wellbeing of the villagers, who depended very much on the Moyog River for sustenance.

Villagers had claimed that the hill cutting activities, which started about four years ago, had polluted the Moyog River and subsequently the local communities located along the river.

As part of the visit yesterday, Dainius met with and spoke to the villagers, accompanied by members of the Partners of Community Organisations in Sabah (PACOS) Trust led by Jenifer Lasimbang.

During a stopover at the Tinukadan recreational spot in Kampung Mongkusilad, Dainius and the entourage were met by the villagers there, led by Randi Payu, 52, from Kampung Moyog.

Tinukadan, which used to be a popular spot for picnics and recreational activities, now looks deserted, with growth of moss appearing on its paved walkway and tables.

Randi said that while a RM1 fee used to be charged on visitors as a source of income for the local villagers, they now no longer dare to impose the fee due to the condition of the now polluted river.

The hill-cutting and land clearing activities, said Randi, had resulted in the pollution of the river, turning river water murky as a result of the soil dispersed from such activities. The pollution also affected organic plants along the river, which villagers used to be able to collect as a food source.

Worse, the hill-cutting activities had also badly affected the ‘tagal’ system – a sustainable way of harvesting fish within the communities involved.

“We used to be able to collect as much as 500 kilogrammes of fish in a year through the tagal system. But for the past four years since the hill-cutting and land clearing activities, there was little to none left,” Randi pointed out, adding that villagers now had to buy fish instead of collecting their own like they used to.

He also related to Dainius the recent massive flooding which hit Penampang last October, especially villages located along the Moyog River.

“Before the hill-cutting activities, floods did occur. But this time, not only did it bring along muds and soil, but the flood increased in magnitude and frequency. We now fear for our safety,” he said.

Randi had previously brought up the matter pertaining to the hill cutting activities to the attention of the media on August 17 this year.

“After our pleas to the various relevant departments and agencies were met with no follow-up action, we resorted to the media because we’ve exhausted all avenues to bring attention to the matter, which had a negative effect on our livelihood,” said Randi, when briefing Dainius yesterday.

Randi disclosed that the villagers were never consulted prior to the start of the project which involved the hill-cutting and land clearing activities.

He said there was not even a signboard providing details of the project, leaving the villagers – who experienced the negative consequences of the activities – in the dark on what had been going on in the area, that caused their river to be polluted.

According to Randi, numerous visits and letters to the relevant departments, including the local council, Environmental Protection Department and the Fisheries Department, did not help as they were ignored.

Meanwhile, Alberto Argulles of Kampung Notoruss disclosed that local villagers are also concerned over a quarry project in the area as they fear its activities will create adverse impacts considering its close proximity to the Babagon Dam.

“We are constantly worried that it will endanger our lives and properties, how the pollution resulting from such activity will cause irreversible impacts on the river, our ‘tagal’ system, and our health,” Alberto explained to Dainius and his delegate.

Dainius’s finding from the visit will be delivered on December 2 in Kuala Lumpur.