KOTA KINABALU. The organising chairperson of a public forum on Kaiduan Dam, Mary Giun from Kg. Terian had one blunt answer to an accusation her group is manipulated by outsiders. “We are not stupid !”. She was told that the Water Department had shown videos of her speaking fluently about the loss of bio-diversity, tourism potentials and their source of living amongst others to the District Officer, during a visit to their villages a few months earlier.
On 6th August 2015, the Water Department held a public briefing on a group chosen by Whatsapp at 2:30pm at their office Gaya Park Jln Penampang Kota Kinabalu, and showed the video as part of the briefing.
One Water Dept officer said she must have been coached by some NGO to oppose the dam project. It was the same government albeit through different departments that had trained us to take care of our rivers, she said citing an example in the news when the District Officer of Penampang released fish fries at a river at Kg Putaton, opposite Moyog. As a former member of JKKK, we were told of the importance of bio-diversity, she said.
After all these efforts now they are telling us our river and villages are going to be flooded, she added.
Giun was clearly unhappy that despite their repeated contacts of invitation, no one from the Water Department turned up to present the second paper on the proposed dam during the forum held at Likas Square, on Wednesday. Even if they are busy preparing for the Malaysia Day event in the afternoon, only one representative amongst their many officers would suffice, she added.
They have missed another opportunity to listen to the villagers themselves, she said. Two special chairs were also prepared for the Director of the department and Huguan Siou as Minister of Infrastructure remained unused.
Three speakers who presented their papers were Dr Felix Tongkul on water catchment and source of water for Kota Kinabalu, Nousi Joseph chairman of NGO TAKaD and Gabriel Wynn speaking on alternative water supply.
Several questions from the floor were left unanswered but the organisers promised to record them and forwarded to the water department.
A lady from an affected village in Papar said the villagers had built a “tugu” or monument for Huguan Siou Pairin Kitingan when he won and wish to ask why he now wants to flood them including his tugu.
A resident from Pitas asked why the government cannot solve the lack of water supply at his district while there is plenty of water in Kota Kinabalu. He requested that some of the 2.8 billion intended for the dam instead be spent in other part of the state with poor water supply.
The conclusion of the forum saw Jannie Lasimbang, former Suhakam member proposing a six point memorandum to be submitted to the Chief Minister and also the Minister of Infrastructure, amongst which another study be made in order to cancel the dam project and to utilised an internationally accepted concept called “Prior informed consent” with all affected parties before big projects are implemented. The proposed memorandum was passed without any objection.
MP for Penampang Darell Leiking and Moyog Assemblyman Terence Siambun also attended the forum without speaking to hear the voice of the 700 participants.
After the event, a majority of those present conducted a ten minutes flash mob protest near the main road and then dispersed without any untoward incidents.
Dr Felix with Mary Giun
Flash Mob picture one
Flash mob picture 2
700 people attended
Jannie Lasimbang and Mary
Left side, empty chair supposed to be filled by Water Department Representative
Member of Public from Papar asking why the Huguan Siou wants to flood their village after helping him win.
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