We Don't Want to be a DAM and DAMN nation

Orang Asal communities affected by existing and proposed mega dams in Sabah, Sarawak and Semenanjung Malaysia especially Pahang state will gather in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow(10/9/2014) to voice their concern, discontent and anger against various mega dam projects which jeopardizing their land and livelihood.

Here are a list of documentaries produced by Peoples Documentary on the social implications of forced resettlement of dam projects and protest by Orang Asal who are going to be affected by newly proposed dam project in their area.

1.Baram Dam, Baram, Sarawak
 

2. Bakun Dam, Belaga, Sarawak

http://youtu.be/YdPqesgWJyo

3. Murum Dam, Belaga, Sarawak

http://youtu.be/9GkQWaDCKDU

4. Ulu Jelai Hydroelectric project @ Susu Dam, Lipis, Pahang

http://youtu.be/_5Xtxir8MdQ

5. Telom Dam, Lipis, Pahang

http://youtu.be/PH_9LNgRggU?list=UUjleS94D7pb0oiFirydevNw

6. Pos Lenjang Dam, Lipis, Pahang

http://youtu.be/pdNhqmpvIkI?list=UUjleS94D7pb0oiFirydevNw

pekerja empangan dihalau penduduk Pos Lenjang(水坝勘察工作人员被驱赶）

Pada 20hbOgos, TNB telah menghantar sebuah mesin driller ke Pos Lenjang untuk mengkaji tanah di situ, membuktikan bahawa kebimbangan penduduk Orang Asli tentang kemungkinan TNB akan membina sebuah empangan di situ memang berasas, menurut Jeffrey Hassan, penduduk Pos Lanai.

Penduduk Pos Lenjang yang terkejut dan marah kerana tanah adat diceroboh telah bertindak pantas. Mereka berkumpul beramai-ramai di tempak pekerja TNB membawa mesin mereka dan mengarahkan pekerja tersebut beralih segera dari situ. Pekerja takut sehingga mengigil dan telah lari lintang pukang.

http://youtu.be/pdNhqmpvIkI?list=UUjleS94D7pb0oiFirydevNw
( Video tentang reaksi penduduk Pos Lenang terhadap cadangan projek empangan)

Malangnya, 2 hari kemudian, mesin tersebut telah sampai di tapak empangan Telom di Pos Lanai tanpa pengetahuan penduduk Orang Asli di situ.Jeffey amat kesal dengan perbuatan TNB yang tidak menghormat adat dan hak Orang Asli Pos Lanai. Sedangkan projek empangan Telom masih belum membentangkan EIA, dan kajian SEIA masih dijalankan, mengapa TNB boleh menghantar mesin berat ke tapak cadangan empangan tanpa pertujuan tuan-tuan punya tanah yang terlibat? Berikut merupakan memorandum penduduk Pos Lenjang yang membantah projek empangan di tempat mereka.

Ulu Jelai HEP: Another Nightmare Dam Project in Pahang

(31st aug2014). 44 households of Orang Asli from ethnic Semai  from Kampung Susu, Cameron Highland were forced relocated by TNB( dam developer) and JAKOA, accompanied by policemen loaded with weapons on 6th June to a temporary resettlement area under the Susu Dam, which is still under construction.

They were only given RM700 as relocation fees and thousands Ringgit as compensation to the crops which has been destroyed by the dam under construction. This was told by Abdul Latif, a villager of former Kampung Susu who has moved to the resettlement area. He said: " We are like prisoners here because we have no land to work on and no forest resources to earn our living."

The 6 hectares of farmland per family as promised by TNB and state government of Pahang which they are depending on for livelihood are still uncertain, while hundreds hectares of their traditional land and territories is going to be flooded once the Susu Dam or Ulu Jelai HEP starts its impoundment probably by end of 2015.

Similar misfortune befalls the Orang Asli in this area were and are happening in Bakun, Murum di Sarawak and several areas in Peninsular Malaysia. Yet Pahang government and TNB still insist to build more dams in Pos Lanai and Pos Lenjang, both are in Lipis District of Pahang. At the moment, no EIA of these project is seen or published but TNB already bringing drilling machines to both proposed dam sites, persuading and instigating the locals to accept SEIA survey.One of the SEIA survey form is shown below:

During our field work visit( Action Committee of Pos Lanai Orang Asli who oppose Telom Dam and Peoples Documentary) to Kampung Susu on our Malaya Merdeka Day, several Orang Asli interviewed by us shown their regret over the resettlement program and they advised the people of Pos Lanai and Pos Lenjang to " Pertahankan tanah adat kamu"( protect your customary land and traditional terrotary) before its too late.