Board blasted for making a mockery of EIA
KUCHING: The Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) has come under fire for allowing blasting works at the Murum Dam even before the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) had been approved. The Sarawak Conservation Alliance for Natural Environment (Scane) yesterday lambasted the board saying that blasting at the Murum hydropower dam project had begun 10 months ago.
“Scane is shocked to learn that the Social and Environmental Impact Assessment (SIEA) studies for Murum hydropower dam is yet to be completed and approved by the NREB.
“Yet the blasting works have begun…,” said Scane national coordinator Raymond Abin in a statement emailed to FMT.
Abin was commenting on a statement by Environment and Public Health assistant minister Peter Nansian who said that blasting works were allowed even before the EIA report.
“We allowed them to commence work before the EIA report was approved, but with conditions,” said Nansian.
Abin said: “Scane has noted that over the years, the EIA processes and practices were clearly a mockery. Even if there are flaws in the EIA, the reports are approved.
“It is nothing more than to legalise a ‘stitched up job’ with the project proponent colluding with the appointed EIA consultants in order to get the EIA approval out of the way.
“The government should amend the existing Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Ordinance 1994 (NREO 1994) relating to the EIA process.
“It is time for the state government to review and amend the NREO 1994 to provide transparency in the EIA processes.
“There should be a provision that requires public participation and scrutiny prior to EIA approval as well as strengthening environmental measures by SEIA, the Equator Principle and The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples.”
Abin also added: “As it is now, the authority of the EIA approval for certain projects in NREB is subject to the natural resources and environment ordinance 1994.”
Flaws in EIA processes
Abin said unlike the Federal Environmental Quality Act 1974 (EQA), the NREO 1994 excludes public participation in the EIA process, unless the project proponent so desires.
“The nature of the EIA process in Sarawak is non-transparent and contrary to good governance. The public cannot scrutinise and give feedback prior to EIA approvals,” he said.
He added that as a result of this exclusion there are several shortcomings in the EIA approvals in Sarawak.
“Scane has found shortcomings and flaws in the EIA processes and reports since the NREO 1994 came into force in 1995.
“There had been numerous development projects related to forestry, plantations and dams where EIAs conducted were approved without the knowledge of the public.
“The public at large are still in the dark. How the EIA reports of these projects were approved in the first place remains a mystery.
‘Even the approval of EIA for highly controversial projects such as hydropower dams were shrouded, despite public outcry,” he said.
Abin also explained that Scane had noticed that certain development projects involving GLCs and certain private companies have started their activities ahead of the approval of the EIA.
“Scane has also noticed that the EIA process under NREO 1994 is only procedural to pave way for the implementation of certain development projects.
“In most cases, it seems merely to fulfil the projects’ criteria which mainly complied with the requirements of the project proponents as well as the financiers.
