Case study on the Bakun Dam, Malaysia
Transcript of Case study on the Bakun Dam, Malaysia
©DevelopingEnvironmentalLawChampions,Train-the-Trainers(TTT)Program2016.AllrightsreservedbyADBandIUCNAEL.
STRENGTHENINGCAPACITYFORENVIRONMENTALLAWINTHEASIA-PACIFIC:DEVELOPINGENVIRONMENTALCHAMPIONSPutrajaya,9th – 13th May,2016
CasestudyontheBakunDam,Malaysia
PresentedbyHanimKamaruddin,
1LHLye,APCEL,NUS
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TheBakun Dam,Sarawak,EastMalaysiaPurposeofthiscasestudy- toexamine:
- applicationofEIAlaws- conflictsbetweenfederalandstatejurisdiction- publicparticipationandrightsofindigenouspeoples- thedevelopmentvsconservationdilemma- goodgovernance
Materialstobestudied:- backgroundinformation– seehttp://www.internationalrivers.org/campaigns/bakun-dam- KajingTubekvEkranBhdcase(HighCourt&CourtofAppealdecisions)-
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TheBakun Dam
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Bakun Dam,Sarawak• TheconstructionoftheRM15billiondamisthemostexpensiveprivatized
projectinMalaysiatodate.• 207metreshighand300metreswide,floodinganareaof700sqkm,the
sizeofSingapore– BakunisthelargesthydroelectricdamprojectinSoutheastAsia&thesecondtallestdamintheworld.
• 10,000indigenouspeoplesfromvariousethnicgroupswillbeuprootedfromtheirancestrallands.
• Projectwasproposedin1970s,shelvedin1990s• 1994:awardofprojecttoSarawaktimbertycoon’scompany,Ekran
Berhad;althoughneitherhenorhiscompanyhadbuiltadambefore• Singledam,generating2400MW,cost$7billionCanadian,RM13.6Billion• IntendedtosupplypowertomainlandMalaysiaviaunderseacables
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Controversies• EIAswerebrokeninto4parts(reservoir,dam,transmissionlines,
underseacable),sothateachcomponentcouldbeseparatelyapproved.• First3partswerenotreleasedtothepublic(FebtoApril1995)• FinallyreleasedinMay1995- CritiqueofBakunEIAbyIRN:
- failedtoexplainwhythedamwasneeded- failedtoadequatelyconsiderthe‘nodam’alternatives,othersourcesofenergy- didnotevaluatelongtermimpacts,orinteractionsbetweendifferentimpactsegeffectofwaterqualityonfisheries- didnotadequatelyestimatelifespanofproject- technicalworriesre:cablesthatdeliverpowertomainland:howlongthesewilllast,howmuchtheycost,howmuchpowerwillbelosttravellingthroughthecableetc.
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KajingTubek v.EkranBhd&Ors [1996]HighCourt
• June1995Actionby3nativessuingEkranBerhad,DirectorGeneralofEnvironmentalQualityandGovtofMalaysia,claimingbreachofthe1974EnvironmentalQualityAct(EQA)inthattheEIAswerenotmadeavailabletothepublicandtheywerethusdeprivedofopportunitytocommentontheproposal.
• Federallaws- EQAs.34AandEnvironmentalQuality(PrescribedActivities)(EIA)Order1987requiredEIAforlargedamprojects.
• SarawakNaturalResourcesOrdinance1949requiredEIAtobesubmittedtoSarawakNaturalResourceBoardforreview.
• 1994SarawakstategovtpassedNaturalResources&EnvironmentOrder(PrescribedActivities)Orderlistingdamprojectsasprescribedactivities
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Kajing Tubek v.Ekran Bhd &Ors [1996]HighCourt(contd)
• 27March1995,Ministerde-prescribedlistofactivitiesrequiringEIAsfromEQAinrelationtotheStateofSarawak,gazettedon20April1995.
• 5July1995– SarawakOrderenacted- theprescribedactivitiesunderEQAshallnotapplytoSarawak;toberetrospectiveasfrom1st Sept.94.
• Deftsarguedinteralia:the3plaintiffshadnolocusstandiastheyhadnotsufferedanyspecificordirectdamagewhichwasdifferentfromothermembersofthepublic.
• HeldbyHighCourt(JamesFoongJ)(1)UndertheGuidelines,allowingforpublicparticipationre:theEIAwasmandatory,commentingbythepublicwasthusaright;(2)plaintiffshadlocusstandiasdestructionoftheforestswoulduprootandimmenselyaffecttheirlives;AmendmentOrderforSarawakwasinvalid.
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Relocationofindigenoustribes
• ManySarawaknativeshavebeenrelocatedtoalonghousesettlementnamedSungaiAsapinBakun.Mostofthemweresubsistencefarmers.Eachfamilywaspromised3acresoflandbutmanyfamiliesstillhavenotbeencompensated.
• Basiccommunityproblemsfacedbydisplacedindigenouspeoplesuchasthelackoflandareasforfarmingandhunting,lackofeducational,medical,andtransportfacilities
• Watersarecontaminatedbyindustrialactivitiesnearby• Watersalsodamagedbyrottingtimber&vegetationthatfell
intothewaterswithdestructionoftheprimaryforests,foulsmellpervades
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DecisionofCourtofAppeal• DeputyPMAnwarIbrahimstatedthatthepreliminaryworkonBakuncan
goonasplanned,despitetheHighCourt’sdecision,asthecourtrulingwasontechnicalprocedures;ithadnotdirectedthatworkbestopped.DecisionwhethertostopworkorproceedlieswithEkran.
• Onappeal:18Feb1997- CourtofAppealheld:StateofSarawakhadexclusivejurisdictionoveritslands,Sarawakhaditsownenvironmentallaws;FederalConstitutionplaceslandasasubjectundertheStateslist.SincetheprojectrelatedtolandandriverwithinSarawak,itwastheSarawaklawandnotFederalEQAthatapplied.
• Plaintiffsonlyhadthresholdlocusstandi,butnotsubstantivelocusstandi,notrepresentativeincharacter(thiswasnotaclassaction),theyhadsufferednospecialinjury.
• HighCthadfailedtoconsiderthepublicandnationalinterestsinvolved.• Coststobebornebybothparties,asnativeswere“confused”bythelaws.
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SuspensionandRevivalofProject• 1997projectsuspended– economiccrisis• March2001– MalaysianFinanceMinisterannouncesthattheDamwill
proceed,onthesamescale,withacapacityof2,400megawattsbutwithoutcableslinkingittothemainlandpeninsula.
• ThiswillresultinascalingdownofcostsfromRM13.5billiontoRM9billion.
• ThedamwouldsupplyelectricitytoSarawak,Sabah,BruneiandpossiblyKalimantaninIndonesia.
• Fundingwouldbetappedfrominternationalsources.• Meanwhile– critiquebySwissactivistBrunoManser(forthePenans,an
indigenoustribe),seerepliesfromMalaysianPMDrMahathir“ThePenandTheSaw”.ManserdisappearedinFeb2000andwaslaterdeclareddead.
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Evaluation• TheDamisnowcompleted• Therearereportsitisunsafe,asChinesecontractorsadmittedcuttingcorners,
mixedcementwithwater,poorqualitycontrol,lackofinspections• Q– whowillbuytheelectricity?Aluminium&otherhighlypollutivecompanies• “ThetotaldemandforelectricityinSarawakisonly500megawattsannually,and
thestatealreadygenerates700megawattsannually,sothereisexcessdemand”perDrKuaKiaSoong,spokesmanforConcernedGroupsforBakun.(1995)
• Damnowhas8turbines,eachgenerating300megawattsofpowerbutreporton1Jan2014saysonly6unitsinoperation,eachgeneratinghalfload(150mgw)=900megawatts.
• Sarawakhasannounceditwillbebuilding12newdams!• http://www.sarawakreport.org/2014/01/bakun-turbines-running-at-just-50-
capacity-exclusive/• TransparencyInternationalincludesBakunDaminits'Monumentsofcorruption'
GlobalCorruptionReport2005.
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RevivalofsubmarinecablestosupplyenergytoWestMalaysia
• Theproposedconceptisfor2x800MWcablesbeinglaidabout660 kmundertheSouthChinaSea fromtheSarawakshoretoYongPengonPeninsularMalaysia
• Thecableisplannedtotransport1600MWofpowerfromtheBakunDamtoYongPeng,Johor[40] viaunderseaHVDCpowercablesandthenvialandlineontotheMalaysianNationalGrid.
• TheuseofHVDCcableswouldensuretheenergylossisminimal,atabout5%to6%only.
• ThecostoftheunderseacableisestimatedatRM9billion.
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Questions• Whatlessonscanbelearntfromthiscasestudy?• Shoulddamprojectsbeundertaken?Ifso,howbestshould
theyberegulated?Whatsafeguardsshouldtherebe?• Havetherightsofindigenouspeoplesbeenviolatedinthis
case?Whatrightsdotheyhave?• Howcanthelawspromotebettergovernance?Whatlaws
wouldyoucraft?• Giveargumentsfor/againsttheDam– representing(a)the
government(b)thetribes(c)conservationgroups
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References• ChanWingCheong“EnvironmentalProtectioninMalaysia–
LessonsfromtheBakunHydroelectricprojectlitigation[1998]• http://www.internationalrivers.org/campaigns/bakun-dam• http://www.cleanbiz.asia/news/sarawaks-bakun-raises-
development-corruption-questions• Sevensinsofdambuilding
http://www.wwf.eu/?207987/7-sins-of-dams• ToDamorNottoDam?
http://d2ouvy59p0dg6k.cloudfront.net/downloads/2045.pdf• OfficialPortalministryofNaturalResourcesandEnvironment
www.nre.gov.my• DepartmentofEnvironmentMalaysia www.doe.gov.my
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