Long Terawan villagers complain of water pollution

MIRI: Residents of Long Terawan Mulu have been affected by river pollution for almost seven years due to pollution in the main water catchment area.

Long Terawan Action Council committee member Dennis Along claimed that the pollution was due to plantation activities in the watershed since 2012.

“This issue is particularly haunting villagers of Long Terawan, our water and drinking water have been affected for seven years,” Dennis said at a press conference here yesterday.

He claimed that effluent containing chemicals and fertilisers from the oil palm plantations flowed into the water catchment, contaminating their source of water.

Dennis, who is former PKR Baram secretary, also claimed that about 300 to 500 villagers had to face the pollution problem every day.

He also said the number of villagers affected would increase when those staying in towns and cities come back to the villages.

Dennis also informed that they had lodged a complaint with elected representatives of the area and the relevant authorities but there had been no response.

“Water pollution is from fertiliser, machines, and water from the fields flow into rivers, sending the water through the pipes to the village, so this is the problem we are facing now,” he explained.

On another matter, he said the Long Terawan Action Council had received response to their request for lower air fares to and from Mulu.

“We have managed to claim lower fares,” he said.

Also present were PKR Baram chief Roland Engan and PKR Hulu Rejang chief Abun Sui.