Meeting touches on participation of locals in Baleh dam project

KAPIT: The annual general meeting ( AGM) of the Baleh Residents Welfare Organisation ( PKPB) was held recently at Meligai Hotel here.

It was chaired by Bukit Goram assemblyman Jefferson Jamit Unyat and was attended by the folk residing along Baleh river.

After the meeting, Jamit, who is the chairman of PKPB, informed that PKPB had been entrusted by Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) to look after the welfare of the local people affected by the ongoing Baleh hydro dam project.

The Baleh dam project is the second largest rock filled hydroelectric dam in Malaysia after the Bakun dam.

Bakun dam has a capacity of 2,4OOMW while the Baleh dam is expected to have capacity of 1,350MW.

Jamit explained that the objective was to ensure that the people of Baleh have maximum participation in the works available at the Baleh HEP project.

“It was agreed in the contract requirement for the project between SEB and CGGC (main contractor from China to build the dam) that locals will make up 30 per cent of the workforce in building the Baleh HEP project.

“CGGC is obliged to comply with the contract as required by SEB so that the locals can participate in the project diligently and in proper manner. In this light, we ( PKPB) hope that there will be constructive and immediate action by SEB and CGGC as what was promised in ensuring 30 per cent involvement of local people in the project,” said Jamit.

It was agreed in the contract requirement for the project between SEB and CGGC (main contractor from China to build the dam) that locals will make up 30 per cent of the workforce in building the Baleh HEP project. Jefferson Jamit Unyat, Bukit Goram assemblyman

Simon Lau (second right) at the presentation of best student awards to Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus’ (Swinburne Sarawak) outstanding civil engineering students recently.