‘Include social component in EIA study’

http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/10/27/include-social-component-in-eia-study/

Posted on October 27, 2012, Saturday

KUCHING: The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study on the Ba Kelalan-Bario road project should include a social component to document and identify cultural and historical sites.

Former Ba Kelalan assemblyman Datuk Nelson Balang Rining said the area surrounding the project was a former settlement of the Lun Bawang and Kelabit communities.

“Features like Batu Sinuped Perupun, Batu Nangan, Batu Barut, Beliau and Abang are found in the area apart from burial sites and old ruins of long houses. There is a request for the relevant agency to couduct such study,” he said when contacted yesterday.

On Oct 23, Balang who is also Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party secretary-general also responded to complaints of locals that the road project would affect the water sources of six villages and a primary school in the area.

The locals said destruction of the water catchment area at Sungai Muda would contaminate their drinking water, and water used for their paddy fields and livestock.

Balang pointed out then that the EIA study must be done as soon as possible and before the government proceed with the construction work. The EIA study should be conducted to make sure the area was not adversely affected.

Construction of the RM42 million Ba Kelalan-Bario road started on Oct 1 and is expected to be completed by September 2014.

The Royal Army Engineers Regiment is already in Ba Kelalan to carry out the project under the Blue Ocean Strategy – an extension of the army’s Jiwa Murni programme. About 2,000 villagers from Punan Kelalan, Long Muda, Long Kumap, Long Langai, Long Lemutut, Buduk Nur and an international award-winning school SK Ba kelalan will be affected by the project.

Current assemblyman Baru Bian claimed that the EIA study had not been conducted yet, so called on the government to listen to the needs of Ba Kelalan folks.

He added that since there was no extinguishment of NCR land status in the area, the (road) route did not have to be fixed and could be modified according to the people’s wish.

Baru who is State Parti Keadilan Rakyat chief, said they were not against development but want the road to benefit the people, not the contractors.

He went on to say that the villagers did not even mind sub-standard roads as long as one of their main water catchment areas in Sungai Muda was not destroyed.

“We have sub-standard roads from Lawas to Ba Kelalan but we don’t mind as long there’s a road. I want to make it clear that the people do not want their water catchment area and jungle destroyed because it is the source of their livelihood,” Baru said.