Sabah Natives Strikes Back….”we’ll defend our lands and rights with our lives”
By Ronnie Klassen
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Dato’Seri Najib’s infamous 1Malaysia, People First, Performance Now slogan is now nothing more than just hot air and hogwash.
Sabah’s indigenous communities(left) in the 
interior of Penampang are bemoaning and up in arms against the RM 2.8 Billion Kaiduan Dam which has been approved by the State Government of Sabah. The dam which has yet to obtain any Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Social Impact Assessment was given the nod by the State Cabinet via a Letter of Intent(right) to WCT Berhad – yes the same contractor as the Kota Kinabalu International Airport.
The dam(left), if allowed to commence construction, will submerge 12 square km of forest and agricultural lands. What’s worst is, it will totally wipe out 9 villages that have been there for hundreds of years. This is a clear violation of the rights of the natives of Penampang for, Prior Free and Informed Consent must be obtained as stated in the United Nations Declaration on the rights of indigenous people of which Malaysia is a signatory.
The affected villages are Buayan, Terian, Babagon Laut, Timpayasa, Tiku, Longkogungan
, Kalanggaan, Pongobonon and Kionop. In addition agricultural land in the 5 villages of Bolotikan, Koiduan, Bisuang, Kogopon and Limbahau alongside the Papar river will be severely affected; notwithstanding the complete destruction of the historical heritage and the unique biological and eco-system of Papar and the Crocker range.(location plan-right)
I visited one of the would be affected villages and had the opportunity to speak to Nousi Giun, Chairman of the Joint Action Committee against the dam.It’s unbelievable and shocking that after 46 years on the formation of Malaysia,our journey to the village is a clear shame with all the government slogans and promises-the infrastructures are pathetically still 46 years behind time.To sum up my 1 hour chat with Nousi Giun – he made it explicitly clear that “they’re not interested in any compensation, relocation or compromise. We will defend our native land with our lives”. The population of the 9 affected villages is approximately 2500, all bonafide Sabahan natives.
What is even more mind-boggling is that WCT Berhad had the cheek to state in their feasibility 
study report(right) to the State Government that the “Dammed Dam site was uninhabited, which is clearly misleading. No one came to the ground and consulted us”, added Nousi. The villager’s plight is also supported by environmentalist and renowned NGO’s such as PACOS, JICA and JOAS among others who have also provided financial aid in uplifting the living standards of the villagers running in millions.
On the political front and for the record, Penampang is under UPKO, a component member of the coalition of UMNO/Barisan Nasional. The MP who was once rejected by his own constituents is none other than Tan Sri Bernard Dompok(left). It was reliably learnt that Bernard’s silence was because of UMNO’s involvement in this dam project. What is even more shocking is that while the natives of Penampang are being ousted from their own lands, Bernard Dompok is busy opening UPKO branches in West Malaysia and recruiting the Orang Asli as members.
