‘Mysterious illness’ hits longhouses near smelting plant
By Joseph Tawie, Free Malaysia Today
MUKAH: Since September 2009, 27 native families living in Rumah Bansan longhouse at Sungai Bedengan here have been suffering from a ‘mysterious illness’ which they believe is originating from an aluminum smelting plant, about 300 metres from their homes.
Explaining the ‘mysterious illness’, Tuai Rumah (longhouse chief) Bansan said the community has been “experiencing all sorts of health problems such as breathing diffuculties, coughing and skin diseases” since the construction of the smelting plant.
“The air here now has a stinging smell and the rain water which we collect and use for drinking is turning black.
“The environment is also suffering. All the fish in nearby rivers and in ponds are gone, paddy and fruit trees cannot bear fruits and our vegetable cannot grow,” he told a team from the Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) early this week.
Reiterating his suspicion to Sadia, Bansan said “his people’s life and their livelihood are in danger of something from the plant.”
“Even the surrounding secondary forests are dying… that smelting plant is a silent killer.”
Residents living in five other longhouses of Rumah Rawing, Rumah Dandum, Rumah Chili, Rumah Aji from Sungai Bayan, and Rumah Laut of Sungai Sebetong/Balinghian in the area have also complained about similar ailments.
They have claimed that their livelihood and health have suffered since the plant was built.
The group collectively met with Sadia seeking the association’s assistance to inform the Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, who incidently is the state assemblyman for the area, and their MP for Mukah, Mohd Leo Toyad, of their plight.
Sadia secretary general Nicholas Mujah, who led the team, said that they are expecting to hear of more people getting sick if the government declines to stop operations at the plant.
Sarawak assures natives
Meanwhile an incident on Oct 4 in a similar plant in Hungary compelled the Sarawak State Planning Unit (SPU) to hurriedly issue a statement reassuring residents here.
Last Thursday SPU issued a statement reassuring locals that all was well following reports of an incident in Hungarian plant where alumina residue called “red mud” leaked from a reservoir and spread to nearby villages.
