Kaiduan Dam must be built – Hiew
KOTA KINABALU: In spite of the strong objection from villagers living in the area of the proposed Kaiduan Dam, it is evident that the dam must be built without further delay, said MCA Luyang Assemblyman Hiew King Cheu.
The new dam, once constructed, will be able to store more water for use, he said.
He said it is high time that the government sets up a round table discussion with the affected villagers.
As for their requests and demands for compensations, relocation of the villages, burial grounds and resettlement scheme including cultivation land bank in exchange for village land etc, the government must consider meeting and adjusting through further negotiations, he said.
The ultimate goal is for the dam to be constructed, he added.
Hiew hoped the opposition parties will not politicise the proposed dam project because they will not be a hero, but the people will put the blame on them for interrupting the construction of an important dam which will benefit everybody in the long run.
“If the negotiations can commence immediately, we will see some light that the dam project can be materialized and it is for the good of everybody,” he said.
Hiew made the remarks during a visit to the Babagon Dam yesterday with Edward Ewol Mujie, Peter Chong, and Lido Kapitan Chong Kian Fah.
He said they noticed that the water level in the dam was very low at about 37% left.
If the dry weather persists, there is a danger that the water will soon run out, he said.
The rain during the past few days did not help much due to the high usage of water in Kota Kinabalu, he noted.
Hiew urged the people to reduce water usage, especially in bathrooms, and when washing their cars and the house compound.
The water supply in Kota Kinabalu comes from the water treatment plants in Inobong, Moyog and Telibong in Tuaran, Hiew said, adding that the water is sourced from the rivers, except the Babagon Dam which stores water to be used by the Inobong treatment plant.
During dry weather, the river water may become less or too low to supply enough to consumers.
“Babagon Dam can supply water in dry season only for a short period. If dry weather continues, it will be empty very soon. We must understand that the purpose of the dam is primarily for storing water for dry season use.
“There is not enough storing capacity to serve the whole Kota Kinabalu population for the long dry spell. As we can see, the water level in the Babagon Dam is dropping rapidly,” said Hiew.
In view of this, he strongly advised the people who objected to the construction of the Kaiduan Dam to reconsider for the sake of the people in Penampang, Putatan, Kota Kinabalu and the surrounding areas.