Federal government hands over Bakun HEP to Sarawak state government
Najib (second right), Abang Johari (third right) signing the plaque to signify the official handover of Bakun HEP as (from left) Masing, Uggah and Dr Rundi look on.
BAKUN: The Bakun Hydroelectric Plant (HEP) which has the capacity to generate 2400MW energy was officially handed over to the Sarawak State Government in a historical event at the plant here today.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who was the guest of honour during the ceremony said the decision to give Bakun HEP to Sarawak was a strategic move as it was based on a win-win situation between the state and federal governments.
“This project should be handed over to the Sarawak state government, for me it make sense to give it to the people of Sarawak because it can contribute to the development of Sarawak, the value can be maximised with the proper plans by the state government particularly in the development of SCORE (Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy),” he said.
Najib said Bakun HEP is the biggest hydroelectric dam in Malaysia and the second largest concrete face rock filled dam in the world and it was the biggest ever project implemented by the government.
It is located on the Balui River of the Upper Rejang Basin, 37km upstream from Belaga town of Sarawak and the first hydroelectric plant under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy.
Its development involved the relocation of almost 10,000 people living along the banks of the Balui River.
From 1998, communities were resettled from the riverside villages and longhouses to a township with modern amenities, improved access to education and health facilities.
“I took the decision to hand over the project to the Sarawak state government and to the locals based on two perspectives.
“One, the Sarawakians have the feeling to owned and managed Bakun and it can boost the spirit among the locals,” said Najib adding that there is a huge potential for tourism sector to be further developed.
He added the project can give a huge impact to the surrounding areas if it is locally managed by the state government.
Najib said the demand for energy in Sarawak has increased from 1,000MW in 2009 to 3,500MW to-date and there is no need for the energy to be exported to Peninsular Malaysia.
He also noted that Bakun produces renewable energy and Sarawak has the lowest electricity tariff in South East Asia which is capable of attracting energy intensive industry players to invest in Sarawak.
He added that Sarawak generated about 54 per cent of electricity from its hydroelectric dams which also met the federal government’s commitment and national target to utilise the renewable energy and reduce the carbon emission.
Najib said he was informed that the next phase that the state government would embark after taking over the dam is to supply the energy to the nearby longhouses which they previously can only see the transmission lines but were not supplied by the energy from the dam.
He reiterated that the people’s interests come first in whatever projects implemented by the government.
Thus, before coming to officiate at the Bakun handover ceremony, Najib said he had approved RM76 million allocation to those affected in the resettlement by giving an extra three acres of land apart from RM9 million to build the farm road.
Najib also assured that more development allocations will be provided to the people if Barisan Nasional (BN) is given the big mandate in the coming 14th general election.
“The 22-year prime minister (Tun Mahathir Mohamad) has no commitment for the people of Sarawak, his philosophy is to strengthen his power as the prime minister, centralised everything to him not to Putrajaya.
“He is not going to change, from his previous track records he is not a friend of Sarawak as what he described that Sarawakians as lazy, greedy and slow, unlike me, Sarawak is a loyal friend to the government and the state has huge potential to be further developed,” said Najib.
He thus challenged the people of Sarawak to prove the ‘old man’ wrong by managing Bakun dam well and to develop Sarawak to greater heights.
He also called the Sarawakians to reject the candidates from the opposition parties and to give full support to BN candidates in the coming general election.
Among those present were Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, Deputy chief ministers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing, Minister of Utilities Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani and Sarawak Energy chairman Datuk Amar Abdul Hamed Sepawi.
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