KUCHING: Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) has been working closely with the 15 longhouses of the Bakun Resettlement Scheme at Sungai Asap and Sungai Koyan in Belaga on projects to enhance their social well-being.
This has been going on since SEB completed the acquisition of Sarawak Hidro, owner and operator of Bakun Hydroelectric Plant (HEP), from the Finance Ministry in 2017.
The resettlement scheme is about two hours by road from Bintulu and an hour from the hydropower plant.
The community was established in 1998 when 15 longhouses of the Kayans, Kenyahs, Kajangs and Penans were relocated from the banks of Balui River in Upper Rajang to make way for the 2,400MW Bakun HEP, SEB said in a statement issued yesterday.
” We have actively engaged with the communities who informed us of some of the challenges they faced. “
SEB Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability general manager Jiwari Abdullah said the programmes implemented include a new social investment programme with focus on education, cultural heritage and safety.
There were also programmes related to entrepreneurship development and capacity building, he added.
“We have actively engaged with the communities who informed us of some of the challenges they faced. We also discussed measures to address the challenges through a comprehensive framework,” he said.
Jiwari said following the series of engagements with the locals, SEB had expanded its CSR projects to include assistance on infrastructure upgrades as the resettlers community is growing and thriving with longhouses recording increases in the number of households.
“As a result of the various dialogues, we are partnering the community through committees such as Balui Lake Native Association (BLNA), and Peng Maren-Maren Uma (Longhouse Chiefs Association) on programmes to benefit the communities,” Jiwari added.
New community projects with Sarawak Energy include land-levelling works to expand the traditional burial grounds as well as to extend the “tanah payung” (communal land) to cater for the growing number of resettlers.
Since the community resettled in 1998, the two burial grounds at Sungai Asap and Sungai Koyan have reached full capacity with the 15 longhouses in the resettlement area sharing the sites.
To expand the Sungai Asap burial grounds, land levelling work commenced last month to create a terrace system to maximise the cemetery site and protect the area from erosion by building a drainage system. The next phase involves expanding the Sungai Koyan burial grounds.
To kick-start the work, a traditional “dayong bungan” ritual was held to seek permission and blessings from the dead by a “Bungan” high priest, Evong Ing, while Pastor Paul Jalong led the Christian prayer session.
The ceremony was attended by longhouse chiefs and representatives. Also present were Peng Maren-Maren Uma chairman Ellison Duren Lihan and Sarawak Energy’s assistant manager for community relations, Augustine Supen Taja.
“We would like to thank Sarawak Energy for implementing the CSR initiatives in Bakun, particularly this land levelling project for the cemetery,” said Pemanca Tony Kulleh, a Kenyah chieftain and community leader.
On other development, he said SEB was also assisting the communities to level land needed for longhouse expansion.
First on the list is the “tanah payung” or communal land for Uma Kelap which has seen an increase in its household population since the resettlement began. Once the levelling work is completed, the residents are planning to build another 50 houses next to the existing longhouse.
When the residents first resettled from upper Balui River to Sungai Asap, there were 104 houses with a population of 477 people. As of last year, the number had doubled.
The overall plan for the Bakun Resettlement Scheme includes land works for the remaining longhouses in the resettlement scheme with Uma Ukit longhouse to follow Uma Kelap.
Land levelling was carried out at Uma Baha in 2015 and Uma Balui Liko in 2016. Sarawak Energy will work with Belaga District Office and the community leaders to monitor the progress of the projects.
