Philip (seated, second left), Roland (seated, fourth left) and PKR Baram members during the press conference.
MIRI: The proposal to temporarily relocate Long San Clinic in Baram to the base camp of a timber company about one hour’s drive from Long San will bring more burden to 13 villages located within the Upper Baram region.
This is the view of Baram Protection Action Committee chairman Philip Jau Ding, who believed that the relocation will not only affect the villagers but students of SMK Temenggong Lawai Jau and St Pius, Long San as the new site would be too far away.
“It will be a big burden for the Orang Ulu community located within and surrounding Long San as they have to fork out extra money for transportation to the temporary site,” Philip told a press conference at PKR Baram office yesterday.
Present were PKR Baram chairman Roland Engan, vice chairman Ellias Lippi Mat and other PKR Baram members.
According to Philip, a notice has been placed at the clinic on the relocation.
He said this was despite the opposition from village heads and the people during a dialogue on Nov 25 organised by Miri medical officer and attended by Baram member of parliament Anyie Ngau and Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau.
He said the medical officer and Health Ministry had cited the dilapidated condition of the clinic and erosion behind the clinic as the main reason for relocating it.
The medical doctor also said the Ministry of Health would be providing mobile clinic and a nurse to serve the schools.
Philip suggested that instead of relocating the clinic, repair works could be done to the building and the slope behind the clinic could be strengthened to stop the erosion.
He also suggested that rather than relocating the clinic, a community hall in a nearby village could be used as a temporary measure.
Roland said the ideal location for the clinic is at Long San as villagers from Upper Baram could come down by river or land to seek medical treatment.
It was also brought up by Philip during the press conference that the 40km Long Lama to Long Bedian timber road was in bad shape, which needed the immediate attention of the elected representatives and the state government.
He said the situation had made the journey along the road slow and dangerous.
He added that that the people also urged the quarries, timber companies and Petronas that are using the same road to help maintain and upgrade the road before Christmas as those staying in major towns would be returning to their homes in Baram.
On another issue, he said the maintenance and upgrading of Bario-Pa Lungan road which Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had announced on July 27 this year at a cost of RM3 million had not been done.
Instead, he pointed out, the local people had no choice but to maintain the road by themselves.
“How long can the people do the maintenance and where is the contractor appointed to do the maintenance work?” he asked.