DISTRICT CHIEF BRYAN MATASING AND WKAN PIUS KUNSUNG INSPECTED MUDDY RIVER WATER OF MOYOG

 

Pius and Bryan inspecting the river from a suspension bridge

 

PENAMPANG.  Extremely muddy river water during the current dry spell is simply abnormal for the villages of upper Moyog River.

 

The gravity water supply has dried up and the villagers cannot fall back on the river which used to be crystal clear before.  A barrage of complaint from villagers, village chiefs, chairmen of JKKK and River Tagal leaders were received by District Chief Bryan Matasing. He conducted a whole morning inspection yesterday together with Asst Native Chief Pius Kunsung who hailed from Moyog. All the rivulets flowing into the river were found to be clean albeit with low flow except for one that flows through Kg Mongkusilad where the rivulet shares the same name. This rivulet was found covered with clay and mud. Above this rivulet is a massive land cutting that was the subject a dialogue at Kg Notorus community hall in December 2014. During this dialogue session, the owner of the project did not bother to attend prompting a lady from the village to ask the government officials what is so special about this person known with a three letter name that even the authorities cannot take action.

A hill farmer Poungi Gumas, 64 from Kg Rugading Baru has a farm house on the opposite side of the river said the exact location of this hill cutting is Mile 24 Tambunan Moyog Rd. He had cultivated a plot of land for rubber trees and fruits since 1982 and is now affected by the mud as his plot lies below the hill cutting. Gumas who was met on site said he had seen forestry officers and others coming to take photographs before but to date no further action.

Photographs taken during this inspection sufficiently proved the methodology of hill cutting was the culprit.

A retired engineer said hill cutting is not a problem provided mitigation measures as stated in the specification are followed. This is a private project and the owner could not care less about mitigations to protect the environment, he said. “Excess loose earth were simply pushed down the steep side of a tall cliff and the slightest rain will wash them down into the river. He might as well have dumped truck loads of clay straight into the river water.”

The engineer further opined that earthfill is now very expensive in Penampang, the market rate for earth alone without the transportation cost is around RM10 per truck so the man should have sold his excess earth and covered his GST. Even if the stop work order is really enforced now, it would take another 10 years for all that loose clay to be completely washed down the river, he added.

Matasing informed that apart from the villagers who used to take their water supply from the river, others affected are 28 tagal system, 5 eco-tourism and a supplementary water intake for the Water Department at Kg Madsiang.

The retired engineer suggested all those affected should combine their resources and claim for compensation in a class-action lawsuit while the evidences are still fresh.

 PROOF:  Mud and clay at the bottom of Mongkusilad River

EVIDENCE:  Very loose clay and soil on the steep slope above the Mongkusilad River

 Hill cutting as seen from the opposite side of the ravine

 Entrance to the land where hill cutting is carried out at M 24 Jln Tambunan fully barricaded by the owner to prevent the authorities to photograph evidence of environment violation

Even JETAMA water intake at Madsiang is grossly affected.