Adrian (second right) speaks during the press conference while Peter (second left) and others look on.
KUCHING: Senator Adrian Lasimbang supports the idea of having a socio-economic study done on impacts after the completion of mega hydro electricity dam projects.
He said the study was important in order to find out how the affected communities are doing after the mega projects have been completed. Normally, such studies were done in the planning stage of the project.
“I think it is important that a study is done. We need it to plan for the future in the development of energy in Malaysia,” he told the press after the ‘Clean Energy Collaboration’ (CEC) conference here yesterday.
Adrian was responding to a point raised by activist Nicholas Bawin who suggested that the government did a socio-economic study on impacts after completion of Batang Ai, Bakun, and Murum dams and other mega projects in Sarawak.
Nicholas, who is personally affected by the Batang Ai hydroelectric dam, said such studies were needed in order to find out whether the projects did indeed bring success and improve the lives of the affected people.
Adrian, who is also DAP Sabah head of Native Affairs, said implementing such studies would not be easy due to ‘politics of federalism and state’ and the maze of politics and bureaucracy.
“Batang Ai, Bakun and Murum dams are Sarawak-owned infrastructure. It (Sarawak) doesn’t readily give you access to make such a study especially if it is done by the federal government.
“I find it very funny that we have this situation (politics of federalism and state). We should continue putting pressure on our government (state and federal level) to get this study done,” he said.
Adrian, who is also indigenous people’s rights and renewable energy advocate, said the concept of ‘right energy partnership’ should also be promoted whereby investors put up their money in projects that respect the rights of the indigenous people.
He is one of the speakers invited to the two-day CEC conference. He is also scheduled to share his experience on Tonibung, which he founded in1998 to empower indigenous communities to build their own micro hydro-electricity dams.
Meanwhile, Long Lawen headman Gara Jalong said his community are requesting assistance from Sarawak Energy Berhad to have the village connected to electricity from the nearby Murum Dam.
He said the community settled on higher ground after refusing to move to Sungai Asap Resettlement Scheme following the construction of Bakun Dam in the late 1990s. Although they have their own micro-hydro system since the last 17 years, they were now requesting to have electricity sourced from Murum.
The CEC conference is organised by Save Rivers, Pacos Trust and Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS). It is also supported by Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) at the University of California and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Other scheduled speakers include Works Minister Baru Bian, former Australian senator and renewable energy policy expert Christine Milne, JOAS secretary general Thomas Kalong, Prof Dr Daniel M Kammen from RAEL and Lionel Yap from Malaysian Photovoltaic Industry Association.
Save Rivers chairman Peter Kallang said over 160 participants are attending the event including people from over 30 villages who had to come down to the state capital to contribute their thoughts and ideas on renewable energy.