Govt must listen to opinions of people on dam – Darell

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Darell

KOTA KINABALU: The people’s opinions on the Papar Dam matter to the government, said Deputy Parti Warisan Sabah (WARISAN) president Datuk Darell Leiking.

He said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal had asked Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Peter Anthony to give further information to the people in the state.

“I have not seen the design or the plan. Give some time, I have asked Chief Minister (about the matter). He will ask Datuk Peter to give an in-depth explanation, not to me but to all the communities in Sabah,” Darell, also International Trade and Industry Minister and Penampang MP, responded when asked about the matter after the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM) event at Hyatt Regency Kinabalu here yesterday.

“As an MP I always support good things for my district. So, if my district is not affected and that’s the demand of the people, yes, I am okay,” he said while reminding that Warisan had fulfilled its promise by putting a stop to the Kaiduan Dam project.

“There are two types of people in Penampang. One, are those who totally against the dam, per say, and another one that do not want the dam to be in the district. I think if that is the concerns and that is what the people want, then the government must listen.

“My opinion, unfortunately, does not matter in this case. It is the people’s opinions that matter,” he added.

Spokesperson for Taskforce against Kaiduan and Papar Dam (Takad), Diana Sipail had told The Borneo Post that she met  Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) geologist Professor Dr Felix Tongkul on July 18 to talk about alternatives to the proposed mega dam.

She said a briefing had been given by  Felix to the Chief Minister that the proposed Papar Dam is not the best solution for the future supply of water.

“According to the presentation made by Dr Felix, despite receiving a large amount of rain, water storage is becoming more acute in Malaysia. Some dams are not even getting enough recharge.

“If we want enough water and avoid flood, water catchments are the most important thing that we should look into, not dams.

“Large dams disrupt the flow of the river causing imbalance to the natural hydrological and ecological systems. This disruption has a long-term effect on both upstream and downstream,” she said.