WHILE a new dam site has yet to be determined, the Sabah government has confirmed that the controversial Kaiduan Dam near Penampang has been scrapped. 

Chief Minister Shafie Apdal said while his cabinet has yet to go through the project details, the new dam will now be in Papar under the purview of the district office.  

“There will be a dam and it will be managed by the district office. The specific location has not yet been identified, but it will no longer be in Kaiduan, Penampang.

“We already discussed this, but not in detail. But we have decided it will not be in Penampang,” he said today. 

Shafie said this in response to concerns raised by activists and politicians over a new location proposed by the Sabah Infrastructure Development Ministry in Kampung Bisuang, Papar, earlier this week. 

Several civil society groups, such as Save Ulu Papar, had raised concerns that the rivers in Papar-Penampang were interconnected and that any plans to build a dam in Papar would affect Ulu Papar residents as well. 

Despite opposition from the groups and politicians, the previous Barisan Nasional government was adamant about building the new dam in Kaiduan.

Among those who opposed having the dam in Penampang were Penampang MP Darell Leiking, Warisan treasurer Terrence Siambun, and Penampang assemblymen Jannie Lasimbang. 

Shafie said Sabah was in dire need of a new dam to ensure ample supply of water for three main districts – Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Papar. 

“We need the dam as in the next five or 10 years, we will face an acute water shortage. We are already experiencing 15% water shortage at present,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Leiking, who is also international trade and industry minister, said that the Sabah government had given its assurance that there will be no new dams in his constituency. 

Penampang is also the site of Babagon Dam, which is presently the main source of water for folks in the three above-mentioned districts. 

Leiking also said many parties were interested in investing in Sabah but were reluctant to do so because of inadequate power supply sources in the state. 

“What’s important now is for the Warisan-led government to engage with stakeholders in Papar. 

“Infrastructure Development Minister Peter Anthony has to explain to the Papar people the importance of the new dam. 

“It is up to the people of Papar, the MP and local assemblymen to ensure their grouses are heard before the dam project proceeds,” Leiking said. – August 6, 2018.