TNB pledges to work closely with Orang Asli community on Nenggiri Dam

KUALA LUMPUR – Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) said it will work closely with Orang Asli communities over the construction of the Nenggiri dam in Gua Musang, Kelantan. 

In a statement today, TNB said it took note of objections raised over the project and reiterated its commitment to addressing the issues involved.

“TNB acknowledges the concerns brought forward by the (indigenous rights group) Kelantan Orang Asli Villages Coalition (JKOAK), and wishes to assure that TNB has, and will continue to take, all the necessary steps to address and mitigate all issues and matters that have been brought to their attention,” the statement said.

Over 100 Orang Asli, mostly from the Temiar tribe, gathered in Putrajaya today to urge the federal government to put a stop to the Nenggiri Dam project planned over some 5,384ha of virgin rainforest in Gua Musang.

The protest, organised by JKOAK, saw affected community members who had travelled from Gua Musang submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob at the Perdana Putra complex.

They stated that the hydroelectric dam threatens the livelihoods, rights and identities of some 5,000 Orang Asli residing in the sprawling area in southern Kelantan.

In response, TNB stated that they worked closely with the government and relevant stakeholders to carry out the project in full compliance with the legal and regulatory requirements set by the authorities, including the Orang Asli Development Department and the Forestry Department.

“TNB has also engaged numerous times with the Orang Asli and other communities directly and indirectly affected by the project,” the utilities company said.

“This project will also deliver a positive socio-economic impact to the nation and the state of Kelantan, as well as bring other benefits to the local communities in the vicinity of the project, including better access to amenities, jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities, in addition to improving irrigation resources to agriculture activities.”

TNB said it has a proven track record of fulfilling all its obligations to the nation and the local communities.

It added that it was working on a comprehensive plan to ensure all its obligations are fulfilled and delivered as promised.

TNB said impacted communities, such as those in Pos Tohoi, Pos Pulat and Kg Kuala Wias, will be resettled in areas of their choice and be duly compensated.

Affected roads to other surrounding Orang Asli settlements, it said, would also be diverted slightly and re-aligned to existing ones.

Similarly, TNB said it has also taken steps to ensure that all historical and archaeological items are kept in a specially built mini-gallery in Gua Musang.

Resettled Orang Asli communities will also be provided with rubber plantations as a source of sustainable income, the electricity provider said.

The Nenggiri hydroelectric dam, a project by the federal government and TNB, is expected to operate in 2026, and is tipped to deliver 300 megawatts of power to the national grid when completed, apart from being used as a source of water supply.

The project is part of five main initiatives by the Kelantan government to mitigate flood issues in the state.

The project is also aimed at improving irrigation resources for agriculture purposes while opening up other potential economic activities such as aquaculture, eco-tourism and recreational activities in the reservoir area.

TNB also said that the electricity generated by the hydroelectric project will lead to cheaper electricity as the dam could last for over 100 years. – The Vibes, June 7, 2022