TNB appointed SEIA consultant intimidate natives of Pahang

A SEIA consultant with PhD title was intimidating a group of indigenous peoples of Pos Lanai, Lipis, in the state of Pahang, that they are going to loose their rights over their customary land and traditional territory and can not claim compensation on it if they refuse to cooperate with the SEIA survey. Jeffrey Hassan, chairperson of Action Committee f Pos Lanai residents who are against the proposed Telom Dam said so when interviewed by Peoples Documentary on 31Aug2014.

A meeting was held on 28 Aug by Tenaga Nasional Bhd(TNB), JAKOA( Department of Orang Asli Development) and natives of Pos Lanai who would be affected by the proposed Telom HEP. This was the 3rd meeting of similar kind, where the project proponent i.e TNB and its appointed SEIA consultant has been trying very hard to persuade the villagers to accept the SEIA survey which will be conducted by UiTM, a local University.

Jeffrey said some residents who are against the proposed Telom Dam had once against saying that they refuse to accept the SEIA survey since they reject the dam. After the meeting, the lecturer of UiTM who incharge of the SEIA survey approached jeffrey and told him: " If you are so stuborn( to not cooperate with the SEIA survey), you would lose your rights on your tanah adat( customary land and traditional territory) and most probably can not claim compensation over it when the dam starts its impoundment."

Due to this intimidation, some of the villagers had accepted the SEIA surveys. They were asked to provide their personal particulars such as ID number and full name but were not provided a copy of the survey form. Jeffrey managed to ask for photocopies of the forms, and one of them is as below:

Jeffrey felt annoyed with the attitude shown by the SEIA consultant who should have been more objective and professional in carrying out his job. He hope human rights lawyers or NGOs can help his villagers from being cheated and manipulated by irresponsible stakeholders.

The proposed Telom Dam is 195 metres in height, with 132 MW capacity. It would flood 7200 hectares of land with most of it are customary land and traditional territory belongs to the Orang Asli( indigenous peoples) of several villages in Pos Lanai. The affected villagers had questioned the justification of the dam several times in their memorandum handed over to project proponent, i.e TNB, but the later had failed to answer, they fail to publish any EIA as well, which is mandatory according to Malaysia law. Instead they persuade villagers to accept SEIA survey, which is not a compulsory measure according to laws of the country.

Pakar SEIA ugut Orang Asli Pos Lanai

Seorang pakar dalam kajian SEIA yang mempunyai pangkat doktor dari UiTM mengugut Orang Asli Pos Lanai, Lipis, Pahang pada 28 Ogos, bahawa mereka akan kehilangan hak untuk menuntut pampasan atas tanah adat yang bakal ditenggelami oleh Empangan Telom yang dicadang bina oleh TNB.

En.Jeffrey Hasan selaku pengerusi jawatankuasa bertindak pembangunan tanah dan wilayah adat Kg Orang Asli Pos Lanai berkata demikian semasa ditemuduga oleh Peoples Documentary pada 31 Ogos di Pos Betau. Menurut beliau TNB dan JAKOA mengadakan perjumpaan dengan penduduk Pos Lanai di SK POs Lanai di Pos Pantos pada 28 Ogos untuk sekali lagi memujuk penduduk supaya menerima kajian soal selidik SEIA yang dijalankan oleh pelajar2 UiTM, sebagai badan yang bertugas untuk TNB untuk menyediakan laporan SEIA projek empangan Telom.

 Semasa mesyuarat diadakan antara penduduk dengan pihak TNB, JAKOA dan turut dihadiri wakil rakyat BN, ada sebahagian penduduk yang menolak kajian SEIA atas sebab mereka tidak menerima projek empangan. Setelah mesyuarat tamat, seorang pensyarah UiTM yang bertanggungjawab dalam kajian SEIA tersebut memberitahu Jeffrey bahawa sekiranya mereka terus DEGIL dan tidak menerima kajian SEIA, besar kemungkinan mereka akan hilang hak untuk menuntut pampasan atas tanah adat yang akan ditenggelami apabila empangan mula bertakung.

Jeffrey kata, berpuluh2 isirumah telah menerima kajian soal selidik yang dijalankan oleh pihak UiTM kerana mereka takut akan tidak mendapat apa2 pampasan atau subsidi. Mereka diminta mengisi semua maklumat penting seperti no IC dll tetapi tidak diberi salinan borang kajian SEIA tersebut. Jeffrey sempat minta salinan photocopy untuk borang2 tersebut, salah satunya seperti di bawah.

Jeffrey amat kesal dengan perbuatan pensyarah UiTM tersebut yang sepatutnya menjalankan kajian dengan adil dan professional. Beliau berharap peguam2 dan NGO2 yang arif dapat membantu penduduk kampung supaya mereka tidak tertipu dan terpedaya oleh pihak-pihak yang tidak bertanggungjawab.