For more than 22 years, 20 families of Kampung Mambong about 21km from Kuching have been living dangerously from threats of a cement clinker plant.

They have been waiting in vain for the state government and the management of CMS Clinker SDN Bhd (formerly known as Sarawak Clinker Sdn Bhd) to fulfill their promises to resettle them, as their houses are too close to the cement clinker plant.
 
Yesterday, some 50 representatives of the families, joined by members of the Mambong branch of Sarawak PKR protested peacefully at the entrance of CMS clinker plant.
 
Under the watchful eyes of the police, the villagers carried banners and placards. One of the banners said that the plant ‘is slowly and silently killing us’.
 
Another placard said ‘CMS = Cemar Masyarakat Sejagat’.
 
In 1992, the plant began operations dealing with limestone quarrying, a raw mill for grinding, coal grinding and kiln burning. The state government then promised to resettle the villagers of Kampung Mambong, but the resettlement efforts were halted for unknown reasons.
 
Last year, the villagers received a letter that they would be resettled elsewhere. Yet until today, there are no signs that they will be moved out.
 
Since November 2007, the CMS clinker is 100 percent owned by CMS Cement Sdn Bhd, which is part of Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS).
 
CMS is owned by the family members of former chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, the governor of Sarawak.
 
Reading their demands,  the chairperson of Mambong branch of Sarawak PKR Willie Mongin (right) said: “Not only the state government and the management of the CMS Cement clinker Sdn Bhd failed to honour their promise, they also failed to pay any compensation to houses which have been damaged due to the explosions from the plant’s limestone quarry.
 
“The villagers’ complaints about their health and requests for compensation have been ignored all these years as if they do not exist,” he said, pointing out that the villagers in and around the area are constantly harassed by loud explosions.
 
Their surroundings are also constantly polluted due to dusts from the plant and the quarry.
 
“As a result of the pollution, many of them suffer from from coughs, sore eyes, asthma, skin itchiness and other diseases.
 
“Their crops, vegetables and fruit trees in their gardens are also affected by the pollution,” he said.
 
After the protest, Mongin submitted a memorandum to the clinker plant's deputy general manager Hisham Amin.
 
Mongin said that the villagers requested for a meeting with the management to look into their requests.
 
Among the requests were that the resettlement of the 20 families be sped up and compensation be paid to their damaged properties. 
 
The villagers also wanted to discuss compensation and royalty to the limestone hill which is quarried to provide limestone to the plant as they claimed that the hill is part of their native customary rights.
 
Another request made in the memorandum was that the villagers want an annual grant to their children education fund.
 
Copies of the memorandum were also sent to Chief Minister Adenan Satem (left), the MP for Mambong James Dawos and the state assemblyperson for Bengoh, Jerip Susil.
 
Sarawak PKR vice-chairperson and lawyer See Chee How, who was present during the protest, said that he was offering his service in the event that the management of the plant refused to meet with the villagers.
 
Meanwhile, Cahya Mata Sarawak, the parent company of the CMS clinker Sdn Bhd said it will meet with the local community in the vicinity at Mambong.
 
“As a group we have always been committed to working with the communities in which we operate. As such, we seek engagement and collaboration to resolve concerns about the levels of dust, noise and tremours at the Mambong facility.
 
“We are prepared to meet the affected villagers,” said CMS in a statement.