PENAMPANG: The State Government under Warisan, Upko and Pakatan Harapan coalition is now fast becoming the arrogant BN state government in the past says Pertubuhan Kebudayaan Rumpun Dayak Sabah (PKRDS) President Cleftus Mojingol (pic).
He mentioned the proposed Papar Dam is one glaring example where the current state government, according to him, is now repeating what it vehemently opposed during the BN tenure before 2018.
“No doubt the proposed RM3 billion hydroelectric dam at Kg Mondoringin, Papar will bring in lucrative businesses to those close to power, however it means little to the thousands it would displace.
“ A caring government must first plan for a detailed and better new settlements with real potential economic opportunities for those to be displaced, and not the other way round where they plan the dam and leave the affected dwellers last,” he said in a statement cited by BS today.
He added that coming from Penampang, he claimed to have a first hand information where those displaced by the Babagon Dam were put in a two-room government-built houses, and left to fend for themselves. And worse, there was no replacements for the land they lost to Babagon Dam.
“Will it not be the same in the Papar Dam?” he asked.
“I don’t want my Dayak brothers and sisters in the affected Papar kampungs to experience the same nightmare. It is obvious the current government has a lower trust credit among the bona fide citizens.
“ Maybe the MACC should be awakened to look if something fishy is going round with certain leaders’ eagerness to spend RM3 billion in Papar.” Cleftus opined.
According to him that there is still no EIA report done until now on the mega project, yet, judging by it’s statements, the state government is bent on carrying out the project, in full opposition by the dozen kampungs to be submerged if the dam is to go on.
He added that water shortage in the capital city and surrounding areas could be attributed to short supply. However the government, I think, must first address the high percentage of theft of treated water by illegal immigrants. “Is it true that currently up to 30% of our treated water are signed off as non-revenue, when in fact it was stolen mostly by illegal immigrants who made illegal connection to our pipes?” he asked.
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