BELAGA, Sarawak, Malaysia - Somewhere in Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo), the sprouting of floating houses, known as “Jelatong”, in the reservoir of the massive Bakun hydroelectric dam should be treated as a cause for concern, said Hulu Rajang Member of Parliament, Billy Abit Joo recently.
He said the government should decide fast which authority should be responsible for the development of the lake because the uncontrolled mushrooming of the Jelatong(houses) could create a messy situation in the foreseeable future.
Billy Abit said certain guidelines and procedures should be crafted and the owners of the Jelatong must abide by it. He noted that the body responsible for the RM7 billion dam, Sarawak Hidro Sdn Bhd, seemed to be concerned only about areas near the dam itself.- The water quality could also be affected as domestic waste and untreated sewerage built up, he cautioned.
- Billy Abit said the problem was minute at the moment because the surface area of the lake of the world’s second tallest concrete rock-filled dam was about 695 sq km…A bout the size of the Republic of Singapore.
- “I have voiced this issue a few times before. I think the government should identify which authority should look after the lake,” Billy Abit said when met at his longhouse in Uma Belor, Sungai Asap Resettlement, on last week.
- Billy Abit said certain guidelines and procedures should be crafted and the owners of the Jelatong must abide by it.
On the same issue, a group, led by Sarawak Peoples' Party (PRS) Belaga Youth deputy chairman Danny Bungan, which visited the lake last week spotted more than 50 floating houses. One of the group members, Kennedy Chuk Pai, revealed that the houses were owned by locals who were affected by the dam construction.
Some of them used the Jelatong (the house) for their weekend retreat or to rear ‘Baong’ (a catfish species), ‘Semah’and other indigenous species. The enterprising ones have been bringing nature-loving tourists and fishing enthusiasts to the lake.
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