KOTA BARU: The construction of the Nenggiri hydroelectric dam in Gua Musang, Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said, was important not just to help generate electrical power but also solved flood problems in Kelantan.
He said many people did not realise the benefit of having a hydroelectric dam in the state.
"The idea of setting up the Nenggiri hydroelectric dam came from Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) and the main reason for this contruction is to generate electrical power.
"We believe the electricity prices can also be reduced later. The state government and TNB also agreed that this project will reduce the risk of floods especially in upstream areas in Kelantan.
"The water from the dam can also be used for agricultural drainage and other domestic consumption. This is among the reasons the state government agreed to implement the project,"said Mohd Amar.
He said the state government considered any issue related to the project as being solved and he urged certain quarters, including non-governmental organisations to stop harping on the matter.
"I was informed that several discussions between TNB, the Gua Musang Land office as well as the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) have been made on the issue of relocating the Orang Asli community.
"Several new settlements will be provided to them and they (the Orang Asli) have also agreed to move when the time comes.
"The project is expected to start next year and the Orang Asli will move after the project is completed in two years," he said.
Mohd Amar said the state government would not entertain any NGO, especially unregistered bodies that have its own agenda when bringing up the issue.
"For us, this NGO does not represent the Orang Asli community. As a government, we have already made it clear. Those who represent the Orang Asli is Jakoa," he added.
The Kelantan Network of Orang Asli Villages (JKOAK) recently urged the federal and state governments to call off the construction of the Nenggiri hydroelectric dam in Gua Musang.
JKOAK claimed that the construction would submerge around 5,384ha of forest, which is customary land and territory of the Orang Asli.
Its president Mustafa Along said four Orang Asli settlements – Pos Tohoi, Pos Pulat, Kampung Wias and Kampung Bering – would be submerged and 18 other settlements indirectly affected.
He added that the construction of the Nenggiri dam would cause various adverse effects to the environmental ecosystem, socioeconomics, their way of life, history, customs and culture of the Orang Asli people in Gua Musang.
He claimed that JKOAK represents the views of more than 3,000 Orang Asli from 17 districts.
Mustafa said they would be handing over a memorandum to TNB and the relevant government agencies to call off the project, adding if there was no response, they would consider taking the issue to court.
Tenaga Nasional Bhd chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid had previously said the proposed hydroelectric dam in Neggiri is expected to solve the flood problems in Kelantan, noting that it would act as a flood mitigation system.