Baram dam natives plead to Dr M for help
Joseph TawiePublished: Jan 22, 2015 10:12 AM | Updated: Jan 22, 2015 12:10 PM
Save Rivers Sarawak, a coalition of anti-dam NGOs, has sent an SOS letter to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Mahathir is to give keynote speech at International Energy Week in Kuching.
Save Rivers Sarawak, a coalition of anti-dam NGOs, has sent an SOS letter to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The letter is aimed at drawing Mahathir’s attention to the findings of a recent study by Oxford University on the economy of large dams and asking him to be a pioneer in the promotion of small-scale energy solutions for electrification in Malaysia.
Mahathir (left) is expected to give a keynote speech at the International Energy Week at the Borneo Convention Centre in Kuching scheduled for Jan 27-29.
Save Rivers, which is at the forefront against the construction of mega dams in Sarawak, also requested a meeting with the former prime minister in Kuching to discuss Malaysia's power future.
In the letter, a copy of which is obtained by Malaysiakini, Save Rivers said researchers at Oxford University have just completed the most comprehensive economic analysis of large dams ever undertaken.
The letter was signed by the NGO coalition’s president Peter Kallang (right).
Save Rivers said that the study, which was based on a representative sample of 245 large hydropower dams built in 65 different countries between 1934 and 2007, stated that large dams are not economical.
"We find that even before accounting for negative impacts on human society and the environment, the actual construction costs of large dams are too high to yield a positive return," the NGO said.
The research team led by Atif Ansar found that planners and policymakers systematically underestimated the costs and time required to implement large dam projects: the actual costs of large dams were 96 percent higher than initial estimate, and on average, their implementation took 44 percent longer than scheduled.
"The analysis reveals that cost and time overruns have not improved over time. The cost and time forecasts are still as wrong as they were 70 years ago.
"The study speaks a clear language: large dams are an expensive technology of the past. The future lies with other forms of energy.
“To minimise the risks associated with large dams, the Oxford study especially advises countries at a lower level of economic development to implement energy alternatives that have a shorter implementation span and a smaller budget than large dams," Save Rivers said.
Mahathir invited to go to Baram
Save Rivers said that the time is ripe to turn the focus away from mega-projects that involve great financial risks and move towards small-scale energy sources that incur lower environmental and social costs.
"We would very much like to invite you to join forces with us in the promotion of small-scale energy alternatives from which the rural communities all over Malaysia would profit,” said Save Rivers’ letter to Mahathir.
"In Sarawak, the indigenous communities are extremely interested in micro-hydro projects, which promise low-cost energy for the communities without adverse environmental and social impacts.
"Please come with us to the Baram area, currently threatened by the proposed Baram Dam, and help develop a sustainable energy alternative with a focus on the needs and potential of our rural villages."
Mahathir's recent comments on regulating legal logging in order to save Malaysia's beautiful forests has given hope to Save Rivers that the former PM has the ability to read the signs of the times.
According to Save Rivers, a visionary personality and leader like Mahathir is in an ideal position to promote these seminal technologies with an immense potential to overcome rural poverty in Malaysia.
It urged Mahathir to include the findings from the Oxford study in his speech on 'Harnessing Sustainable Energy Towards 2020' at the International Energy Week next week.
"Please also advice the invited investors to act responsively in Malaysia by respecting indigenous and human rights as guaranteed under our constitution.
"Please contact us to arrange a meeting to discuss the mega-dams project proposed by the Sarawak state government under Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score), which is a massive threat to the environment and human rights," Save Rivers added.
The letter is aimed at drawing Mahathir’s attention to the findings of a recent study by Oxford University on the economy of large dams and asking him to be a pioneer in the promotion of small-scale energy solutions for electrification in Malaysia.
Mahathir (left) is expected to give a keynote speech at the International Energy Week at the Borneo Convention Centre in Kuching scheduled for Jan 27-29.Save Rivers, which is at the forefront against the construction of mega dams in Sarawak, also requested a meeting with the former prime minister in Kuching to discuss Malaysia's power future.
In the letter, a copy of which is obtained by Malaysiakini, Save Rivers said researchers at Oxford University have just completed the most comprehensive economic analysis of large dams ever undertaken.
The letter was signed by the NGO coalition’s president Peter Kallang (right).Save Rivers said that the study, which was based on a representative sample of 245 large hydropower dams built in 65 different countries between 1934 and 2007, stated that large dams are not economical.
"We find that even before accounting for negative impacts on human society and the environment, the actual construction costs of large dams are too high to yield a positive return," the NGO said.
The research team led by Atif Ansar found that planners and policymakers systematically underestimated the costs and time required to implement large dam projects: the actual costs of large dams were 96 percent higher than initial estimate, and on average, their implementation took 44 percent longer than scheduled.
"The analysis reveals that cost and time overruns have not improved over time. The cost and time forecasts are still as wrong as they were 70 years ago.
"The study speaks a clear language: large dams are an expensive technology of the past. The future lies with other forms of energy.
“To minimise the risks associated with large dams, the Oxford study especially advises countries at a lower level of economic development to implement energy alternatives that have a shorter implementation span and a smaller budget than large dams," Save Rivers said.
Mahathir invited to go to Baram
Save Rivers said that the time is ripe to turn the focus away from mega-projects that involve great financial risks and move towards small-scale energy sources that incur lower environmental and social costs.
"We would very much like to invite you to join forces with us in the promotion of small-scale energy alternatives from which the rural communities all over Malaysia would profit,” said Save Rivers’ letter to Mahathir."In Sarawak, the indigenous communities are extremely interested in micro-hydro projects, which promise low-cost energy for the communities without adverse environmental and social impacts.
"Please come with us to the Baram area, currently threatened by the proposed Baram Dam, and help develop a sustainable energy alternative with a focus on the needs and potential of our rural villages."
Mahathir's recent comments on regulating legal logging in order to save Malaysia's beautiful forests has given hope to Save Rivers that the former PM has the ability to read the signs of the times.
According to Save Rivers, a visionary personality and leader like Mahathir is in an ideal position to promote these seminal technologies with an immense potential to overcome rural poverty in Malaysia.
It urged Mahathir to include the findings from the Oxford study in his speech on 'Harnessing Sustainable Energy Towards 2020' at the International Energy Week next week.
"Please also advice the invited investors to act responsively in Malaysia by respecting indigenous and human rights as guaranteed under our constitution."Please contact us to arrange a meeting to discuss the mega-dams project proposed by the Sarawak state government under Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score), which is a massive threat to the environment and human rights," Save Rivers added.
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