Investigate logjams choking central Sarawak rivers, rep tells authorities

TONNES of timber logs and wood waste are choking the Sg Rajang and Sg Katibas rivers, as well as their tributaries in the Belaga district of central Sarawak, causing disruptions in waterway travelling for large populations of rural riverine folk.

The assemblyman for the Katibas constituency, Lidam Assan, has asked the authorities to investigate the source of these logjams.

Flash floods over the past few days have washed large amounts of felled logs and wood waste into the two major rivers up to the town of Song, he said.

“The wharf at Song is also clogged with logs and wood waste. Four riverine longhouse settlements are also affected.

“I have called on the authorities to check the source of these logs and wood waste,” he said.

“There could be indiscriminate felling of trees along the rivers, causing these big amounts of logs and wood waste to be washed into the rivers by the flash floods,” he told reporters after meeting enforcement officials from the Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Board and the Sarawak River Board at his Katibas service centre, about 150km south of Sibu town.

Lidam said the enforcement teams will deploy their personnel to try to locate the source of the problems.

He said riverine folk along the affected zones are facing danger trying to navigate these clogged rivers.

Massive logjams had occurred numerous times already on the rivers in central Sarawak with similar occurrences in Sg Baleh and Sg Balui last year.

These two rivers connect to the Bakun Dam and Baleh Dam.

Harry Wing, a social activist, had questioned why the state authorities failed to take punitive action against those timber loggers causing the massive logjams on central Sarawak rivers. He also took the state Forestry Department to task for not disclosing the identity of the logging company or companies responsible for choking the rivers with timber debris.

“The politicians must reveal to the public the identity of those logging operators who had triggered the logjams that caused so much damage to the environment and rivers.

“Until now, the culprits causing the logjams inside the Sg Baleh and Sg Balui have not been penalised either.

“These irresponsible loggers must be forced to clean up the mess,” he had said. “They seem to get away with the serious damages they had caused to the environment.”

The state forestry authorities had then said that it might take up to one year to clear the timber debris in the river. – The Vibes, March 5, 2024