The Malaysian Insight

THE resumption of a hydroelectric dam project in Papar has raised the hackles of environmental groups and Sabahans upset with the Warisan-led government for reviving Barisan Nasional-era projects.

Besides the Papar dam, which was announced yesterday, Sabahans are also taking Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal’s government to task over the Tanjung Aru Eco Development (TAED), as state Pakatan Harapan and Warisan leaders previously promised it would be scrapped while campaigning in the 14th general election.

Social media users have hit out at Assistant Law and Native Affairs Minister Jannie Lasimbang, Senator Adrian Lasimbang, former Moyog assemblyman Terrence Siambun and Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Junz Wong for failing to ensure that the state government kept its election promises.

Other groups also said they felt betrayed by the Warisan-led government.

“The TAED project is clearly a BN baby that is now being adopted by Warisan. It was clearly stated to the press in February 2017 that Warisan would put a stop to the project.

“Warisan has not held up to their end of the bargain in their ‘Ubah’ slogan (change). They have reverted to the BN style of operations.  Making empty promises that are a huge betrayal to the people of Sabah who voted for change,” said Sabah Environmental Protection Association (Sepa) chief Lanash Thanda.

The original RM7 billion TAED is a beachfront project in Kota Kinabalu that involves land reclamation and construction of several hotels totalling 1,800 rooms, as well as residential developments, a water theme park and a golf course.

In February, Shafie announced a scaled down version of the project but did not delve into the details.

Yesterday, state Infrastructure Development Minister Peter Anthony said both TAED and the RM3 billion Papar dam would proceed.

Anthony said the dam is needed to supply water to a growing population on Sabah’s west coast, including the TAED project.

Social media user Juliana Johari lashed out at Wong, who is also Tanjung Aru assemblyman, who previously said he was against TAED.

“Cronyism is very much alive with the new government with the commencement of these projects you once were so proud (to) stop,” she said on Wong’s Facebook page.

Lasimbang was also criticised for failing to stop the projects, more so because of her past activism with community groups to empower indigenous groups against the Papar dam, previously known as the Kaiduan dam project.

She did not respond when asked to comment about the attacks against her over Papar dam.

Her brother, Adrian Lasimbang, told The Malaysian Insight he was surprised when Anthony announced the go-ahead for TAED and the Papar dam projects.

“Everyone started attacking us after the announcement as it was us, while we were with (civil society) organisations, who fought tooth and nail for the dam project to stop.

“The opposition parties will take the opportunity to attack us now that these projects will go ahead. We have been attacked on Facebook and WhatsApp groups, even by our fellow activists.”

Another environmental activist, Diana Sipail of the Kaiduan dam task force, said the Papar dam was in fact the same plan for the Kaiduan dam, with just a change in name.

This shows the government is trying to confuse the people and never intended to stop the project at all, despite stakeholders’ protests, she said. – June 27, 2019.