THE absence of Public Works Department (PWD) engineers at a so-called dialogue on the reportedly “leaking” Bengoh dam today left village chiefs living in the area furious.

Wahab Lias, a Kuching Water Board (KWB) engineer present at the session, told local area councillors and about 40 village headmen that had turned up that he could not answer any questions relating to the safety of the dam as that was the duty and responsibility of PWD engineers.

Simo Sekam, the village headman of Kampung Nyegol in Bau, said he was disappointed PWD engineers were absent at the supposed dialogue at the dam’s site office, about 40km from Kuching.

“In the notice for this meeting, we were told that we would be briefed on the safety and security of the dam.

“However, we were only briefed on the intention of KWB to lower the water level to 65m.

“They need to answer the doubts of the villagers as to the security and safety of the dam,” Simo said.

Tangah Siel, a village representative from Kpg Nyegol, said he was furious because he had to take leave from work to attend the dialogue and left with no answers.

“The reason why we took leave to attend this briefing is because we are worried about the safety and security of the dam.

“A mere apology of the officer and his answer that we have to wait for the explanation of PWD is unacceptable,” he said.

Some 3,500 people from five Bidayuh villagers are living below the dam.

Questions on the presence of water stains on the downstream face of the dam that were reportedly visible even from a distance were unanswered.

“They were told to wait for April 2018 when they hold the emergency response plan (ERP) simulation,” one villager said.

Even though the Sarawak state government had on November 13 given assurance that the dam, designed as a reservoir to provide water supply for Kuching and the surrounding areas, is “technically and structurally sound and stable”, fresh fears resurfaced after reports circulated that the dam’s control room were taking water from leaks.

In the briefing, the village chiefs and representatives were told that the discharge of water they had seen from two outlet valves that were surrounded by the water stains at the base of the dam, was an act of lowering the water level of the reservoir from 80m to 65m by March next year.

Wahab said the lowering of the water level was standard operating procedure during the year-end rainy season “to maintain a buffer to store the unusual heavy rainfall”.

Sarawak Utilities Minister Dr Stephen Rundi, had said the water stains were from water seepage from a “designed construction joint, and not a crack as alleged”.

He said some seepage through the joints is to be expected.

In reiterating the dam is safe, Rundi said its design and construction involved inputs of experienced international dam specialists from the United Kingdom and a specialist dam contractor from China which had built more than 200 dams around the world.

The RM310 million dam was constructed by Naim Holdings Sdn Bhd. It became operational at the end of 2015. – November 23, 2017.