Press Statement(2) by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjong, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday, September 20,1995:
Ekran Bhd should give a more convincing presentation of the financial environmental, socio-economic and technological viability of the RM 15 billion Bakun dam project during the “KLSE Road-show” headed by the Prime Minister in London next week than it had been able to do in the country
The Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) announced yesterday that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed , will lead the “KLSE Roadshow” which would focus on the Malaysian economy and capital market, to be held in London on Sept 26.
According to a KLSE statement, 150 senior representatives from leading asset management companies, merchant banks ane corporation with interests in Malaysia, and potential investors in Britain are expected to attend. Renong Bhd. And Ekran Bhd.would feature in the roadshow by presenting company briefings.
Ekran Bhd should give a more convincing presentation of the financial environmental, socio-economic and technological viability of the RM 15 billion Bakun dam project during the “KLSE Road-show” headed by the Prime Minister in London next week than it had been able to do in the country
It is a reflection of the nation-wide concern about the Bakun dam project that the lastest issues of Aliran Monthly and Utusan Konsumer both front-paged the controversial Bakun dam project.
Both the Aliran monthly, under the front-page headline “The Bakun Connection – The Business Connections and Environment Effects” and the Utusan Konsumer, under the front-page heading “Who Is Telling the Truth Over Bakun –Deluge of Contraditions hits Parliament” raise the serious questions about the financial, environmental, socio-economic and technological viability of the Bakun dam project, as well as the lack of accountability and transparency.
Aliran monthly also carried an article about the “skyrocketting” of property prices in Kuching because many wealthy Foochow Chinese from the Sibu area are diversifying their economic base away from the Rejang vally because of “too many unanswered questions about the Bakun dam”.
“Too many unanswered questions” including whether Bakun dam project could trigger off earthquakes in the Sibu area
The “too many unanswered question” referred to by the Aliran aricle included the “geniune concern” that “the Bakun dam might break/burst either due to an earthquake or due to a massive overflow of water which may overwhelm the Bakun dam if rainfall in the Bakun catchment area is excessive.”
A few days ago, it was reported that the Meteorological Services Department had confirmed that the seismology stations in Kuching and Kluang had reported tremors in several places in the Serian District at 6.48p.m last Saturday although the department had yet to determine the location of the earthquake because of insufficient data.
The Departement believed that that earthquake happened in interior areas of Western Sarawak or Kalimantan. This will be the third tremor affecting Sarawak within two years.
The first was recorded at 8.56p.m. on Oct. 13 1993 and the epicentre was about 10 km from Kuching while the second, a stronger one occurred at 2.50p.m. on Feb .12 .1994 and was felt in several towns of the State, particularly in Bintulu.
The third recorded seismic activity in Sarawak within two years should focus public attention on the possibility of the Bakun dam project triggering off earthquakes in Sarawak particularly in the Sibu area.
Since 1870, there have been many earthquakes measuring between 3-6 on the Ricther scale along the coast of Sarawak between Kuching and Miri.
A dam expert and lecturer at the University of Dortmund in Germany, Dr Wiluo Wang had discovered from his researched that Bakun dam project area is within the earthquake belt and that a dam of the dimension of Bakun could trigger off an earthquakes in Sarawak.
So far, neither the Federal State Government nor Ekran Bhd. Had not made a satisfactory to Dr Weilou Wang’s revelation, which means that the Bakun dam project is being rushed in utter disregard of environmental and ecological consequences.
This will be another aspect which Ekran Bhd will have to give satisfactory answer during the KLSE Roadshow in London next week.
The Utusan Konsumer highlighted the severe flash floods that hit the Belaga district in Sarawak at the end of last month, where at least 30 longhouses were affected- 10 of them along the Balui River where the Bakun dam will be built.
One of the worst hit was Uma Lesong in upper Balui River whichwas totally submerged, leaving 30 families homeless.
Utusan Konsumer said that the ravages of the recent flash floods in Belaga raises the very pressing and vital question as to whether the Bakun dam project will be albe to cope with flash floods of such a nature and impact!
An international panel of environmentalists and rivers experts, the International Rivers Network(IRN), had criticised the Bakun Interim EIA report for inadequate and incomplete hydrological data and analysis on the Bakun dam project.
According to Dr Weilou Wang, the inadequate hydrological data and analysis of the Bakun dam project would pose a serious threat to the safety of residents downstream as well as plant and animal life.
Of Ekran Bhd is to make a company presentation in the KLSE Roadshow in London next week, then its executive chairman, Tan Sri Ting Pek Khing should provide answer to the “too many unanswered questions” on the Bakun dam project- which had been award to Ekran and is the single largest privatisation project in Malaysia- as Ekran had failed to furnish these answers in the country to date.