12 experts to study impact of Sarawak dams

New Straits Times 30 Mar 10;

KUCHING: The state government has hired 12 international consultants to conduct studies on the proposed construction of the 12 dams which would generate some 30,000MW of hydropower for Kuching, said Public Utilities Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan yesterday.

He said they would study the social, environment and physical aspects of the dams, including the earth's seismic movements.

Awang Tengah, who is also the second minister of planning and resource management, said based on earlier studies, the construction of the dams was not likely to cause earthquakes although slight seismic movements might occur.

"All aspects must be studied thoroughly by the experts," he told reporters after the opening of Asia 2010 -- the 3rd International Conference on Water Resources and Renewable Energy Development at the Borneo Convention Centre here.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud opened the three-day conference which saw the participation of 600 delegates from 46 nations.

Awang Tengah said the hydropower produced by the dams would be used by industries within the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score).

He added the hydropower would be exported to Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Brunei.

Earlier, Taib said Score had attracted some RM30 billion worth of investments.

Score, he added, was expected to contribute between RM70 billion and RM80 billion in gross domestic product by 2020 and RM180 billion by 2030.

Score is one of the five regional economic corridors being developed in Malaysia. Among the energy-intensive industries to be set up are aluminium, glass, steel and oil-based plants and marine engineering.

Located within central Sarawak, Score stretches some 320km along the coast from Tanjung Manis to Similajau and extending to the surrounding areas and the hinterland.

Studies to be conducted on all future dam projects
Sharon Ling, The Star 31 Mar 10;

KUCHING: The state government will conduct social and environmental impact assessment studies (SEIA) on all future hydroelectric dam projects in Sarawak, starting with the Murum Dam.

State Planning Unit principal assistant director (environment and natural resources) Andrew Tukau said this was a new approach adopted by the government to reduce resettlement problems and ensure the smooth implementation of projects in compliance with local and international standards.

“Our approach is to incorporate social impact into the study. For all future hydroelectric projects involving resettlement, we are to implement the SEIA,” he said.

Tukau was presenting a paper themed “Why we need to engage in social research?” at the third Inter-national Conference and Exhibition on Water Resources and Renewable Energy Development in Asia here yesterday.

He said the first SEIA was being carried out for the Murum Dam project by a government-appointed consultant. The 944MW Murum project is scheduled to be completed by 2013.

Besides identifying the environmental impact and mitigation measures related to the dam, the SEIA will include a detailed study on the social aspects of resettlement, such as documenting cultural and archaeological heritage, recommending sites and livelihood options in consultation with the affected villagers and establishing a grievance mechanism.

“Through this approach, there will no longer be involuntary resettlement as was done in previous dam projects.

“Instead, the affected communities will be consulted as to their preferred sites and a resettlement action plan agreed upon for implementation by the government,” Tukau said.

He said the resettlement action plan would include a development package such as housing, utilities, infrastructure and a livelihood restoration programme.

More importantly, he said it would have a monitoring, evaluation and reporting mechanism to ensure the success of the resettlement.

“This is a new thing that we are introducing. If there are no positive results, we will amend the programme so that the community will benefit from the resettlement,” he said.