Baram and Murum Fact sheet
Posted by Charles Gau
BARAM HYDRO-ELECTRIC DAM PROJECT
Sarawak Government plans to build more hydro-electric dams to meet the state’s future industrialisation needs.
In addition to the Bakun dam project, the Sarawak Government are planning to build another 12 hydro-electric dams at Ulu Air, Metjawah, Belaga, Baleh, Belepeh, Lawas, Tutoh, Limbang, Baram, Murum and Linau rivers including an extension to the Batang Ai Dam.
Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), 65 percent owned by the Sarawak Government is spearheading these dam projects.
The project
The Batang Baram is the second longest river in Sarawak. The river drains much of the Sarawak northern region as it originates in the central Iran Mountains at the Sarawak/Malaysia-Kalimantan/Indonesia border. It flows westwards through tropical rainforest in the Baram District to the South China Sea. The Miri Resort City is located at Baram delta.
Location of Baram Dam
The Baram Hydroelectric dam site is located along Baram River at about 306 Km from the river mouth. The location of the dam across the Baram River will be between the inflows of the Sungai Patah and Sungai Kahah from the left and Sungai Hit from the right, as going upstream.
Specification of the dam
The height of the main Baram dam would be 162 m above foundation level. The dam structure across the Baram River has a crest length of 685 m and the crest level is 180 m above sea level. The construction would be designed as a roller-compacted concrete (RCC) gravity dam. Due to the topographical conditions in the project area, a 70m high Saddle dam will be constructed approximately 5 Km south-west of the project site.
Who are affected by Baram dam?
If the project goes ahead, an anticipated of at least 20,000 indigenous peoples will be affected and displaced by the dam.
These peoples are the Kayans, Kenyahs and Penans whose longhouses and villages are situated along the course of Baram River valley, locally known as Telang Usan. Their settlements are well located on below, above and around of the project site.
The downstream longhouses/villages are Long Laput, Sungai Dua, Sri Kenawan, Uma Bawang, Long Miri (Daleh Pelutan), Long Pilah and Long Kesseh. In the upstream and within the dam reservoir area are Long Na’ah, Long Liam, Long San, Long Selatong (Kiri & Kanan), Long Apu, Long Julan Asal, Long Julan Pelutan, Long Anap, Long Palai, Long Je’eh, Long Moh, Long Sela’an and Long Semiyang as well as some villages in Akah River that are Long Beku, Ba Abang, Long Tap and Long Tebangan.
What area are being affected
The Baram dam would submerge an area of 38,900 hectares (389 sq km) of land and forest. The area is mostly native customary land, and consists of temuda, cultivated lands, gardens, villages, churches, graveyards, community forests and sites of historical significant. The people are going to lose their longhouses, villages, properties, lands and forests as a result of submergence and displacement by the Baram dam.
Catchment Area
The construction of Baram dam will create a catchment area of 896,600 hectares (8,966 sq.km). Within the catchment area are some major settlements of indigenous communities: the Kenyahs, Kelabits, Sabens and Penans.
The dam will submerge the existing government schools, Medical clinics, airstrip and other building facilities. There are also logging companies actively operating in the area.
Baram Dam Project Features:
Main dam
Type RCC
Crest of dam 180 m a.s.1.
Height of dam 162 m
Length of dam 685 m
Saddle dam
Type Rockfill
Crest of dam 180 m a.s.l.
Height of dam 70 m
Length of dam 1,290 m
Reservoir
Normal water level 178 m a.s.1.
Minimum water level 177 m a.s.1.
Total storage volume 13,2 x 109 rn3
Reservoir area 389 sq km
Power plant
Installed capacity 830 MW
Design discharge 684 m3/s
Design head 138 m
Average energy generation 5,848 GWh/a
Turbine type Francis –vertical axis
Number of units 4
Catchment Areas 8,966 sq km
THE MURUM HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT
WHAT AND WHERE IT IS?
The Murum hydroelectric project (Murum HEP) involves the construction of a 944 MW hydroelectric dam. The dam is the 1st of 12 new more dams to be built by the State Government of Sarawak. The construction work of the dam has been going on since mid-2008. The dam site is on the Murum River, a tributary of Balui River, about 60 KM upstream of the Bakun Hydroelectric project in Belaga District, Kapit Division of Sarawak.
PHYSICAL FEATURES
The Murum dam is a 141-metre-high Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) dam that would be 547 metres above sea level, with a length of crest of 510 metres and crest width of 10 metres. It will flood 24,5000 hectares of land of customary land and forest. The dam catchment area is 275,000 hectares of mainly Usun Apau Plateau, the ancestral land of Indigenous communities in Sarawak.
WHO IS AFFECTED?
The project will inundate and require the forced relocation of about 1,000 Penans. There is also some Kenyah-Badengs, who were affected by Bakun dam but have opted for alternative resettlement after refusing to move to the government Bakun Resettlement Scheme at Asap-Koyan in upper Belaga River in 1998.
WHO IS BUILDING IT?
The Sarawak Government is solely having vested interest, the project proponent and the Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), 65 percent owned by the Sarawak state. The Murum Dam project had been awarded to China’s Three Gorges Project Corporation, which reportedly submitted the lowest bid among eight companies.
The estimated cost of Murum dam project is RM3 billion (875 million USD). To be completed in 2013.
Dayakbaru comment
Why do we need so many dams? Is it to replace our fossil fuel generated energy supply and a mean of long term business for Sarawak?
Do the Dayak of Sarawak need to suffer all these to ensure that a few politician and crony businessmen gets very rich. What is it in for the Dayaks?
Who owns the other 35% of Sarawak Energy? Is it a politician strategy to keep his family rich until the end of time?
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11 Responses to “Baram and Murum Fact sheet”
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Inspirational word from gkm2020
It is the government effort the prevention of floods. the provision of water for drinking, sanitation and irrigation and the generation of hydro-electric power, increased water and electricity power supply to all people including the dayaks. I do not see any good reasons why the construction of dams in Sarawak have social and environmental impacts. Either you and I are not a tarzan.
Sarawakian,
Projek Hydro lebih merugikan dan menyusahkan penduduk setempat khas dan Sarawak amnya.
Setiap projek yang dibangunkan oleh kerajaan Sarawak dibawah pemerintah Taib terutamanya projek hidro cuma menguntungkan setengah pihak bukanya rakyat jelata…..
Rakyat Batang Ai Dan Bakun…..contohnya…..apa keuntungan mereka….
Bil api……masih mahal…………
Dear Charles Gau,
MISLEADING INFORMATION ON BARAM HYDRO DAM PROJECT
You posted an article with glaring mistake and not fit to be debated in this blog. The stupid mistake is:
“Specification of the dam: The dam structure across the Baram River has a crest length of 685 m and THE CREST LEVEL IS 180 M ABOVE SEA LEVEL. The construction would be designed as a roller-compacted concrete (RCC) gravity dam. Due to the topographical conditions in the project area, a 70m high Saddle dam will be constructed approximately 5 Km south-west of the project site.”
Common Charlie Ngigau (dreamer)!!! The topographical survey bench mark at Long Lama town is 100m above sea level (asl), whereas at SK Long Na’ah is 150m asl. By height correlation using the school bench mark, lowest water level at Long Na’ah is 140m asl, and the dam site just about half kilometre downstream Long Na’ah.
By simple calculation, the crest of proposed Baram Dam the is only 40 meters (180-140). by this calculation implies that you are fooling us in this blog. Please revise your primary school arithmetic.
If it is true the dam crest height 40metres, then the people in Long Na’ah, don’t have worry about it. I know your longhouse level is far higher than the school. According to smart Charlie the Baram dam is just like your gravity water supply dam in your longhouse, good enough for swimming pool.
Nya aja bakih & toyang.
Yeah! it’s necessary or not to have so many dams and what does it help to the livelihood of the Dayak who are poor now and will getting poorer when all their land being submerged.
To resettle them at a new settlement areas.And given a small lot of land to farm can they survive? like Batang Ai folks.They wanted to work with the “alang, alang.” qualification can they get a job in the govem and other well establish company. So “Mau, tidak Mau” become “Kuli, makan gaji hari sahaja,” do you think they happy with that kind of life ? Some even venture farther “Kerja OffShore wai 6 bulan sekali pulai ngabas bini anak bisi mai duit mimit tang bisi datai ka betaun taun enda pulai datai ka tanah setempap ka di jual bini sida jampat jamapat iya pulai wai
ha tusah amat idup baka nya.
So think of the indigenous people before contracting any projects carry out whether it’s benefit the local or own pocket.
Hydro-Dam and electricity : was introduce at Batang Ai mean that the electricity charges will reduce but as years goes by but for so many years already there is no sign of the electricity Bill decreasing, it goes up and not down as promise. How much SESCO bought the water from the mountain every month to run the station FREE!!! so why the electricity charges per unit still not reduce? or SESCO still not finishing building their Mention office Building in every town in Sarawak ? With the more Dam mean more income but the Bil Api masih mahal.
Hai melanau mukah are you a qualified person to know there is no environmental impacts toward the environment when a lot of dam is build in s’wak. You is katak dibawah tempurung tidak tengok apa yang berlaku di philipines, cina dan indai disebabkan dam pecah banyak yang mati baru 1 & 2 dam belunm dikira 12 dam yang akan dibuat oleh s’wak.
Ha ha ha, Sarawak terkaya di Malaysia, Bejuta hectre ladang sawit, ladang jetropha, bepuluh iti hydro power, bepuluh macam projek kebesai besai dalam Score enggau macam pemansang ke besai di tumbuh ka perintah BN. Maioh sekula polyteknik di tumbuh kena anembiak belajar awak ke ulih kerja dalam score, ke baru ka digaga Jabu di Betong. Cukup manah perintah BN nadai alai mantah. Tang sapa ke empu pengaya tu ila, bisi bansa kitai Dayak? Tanah ke tebal agi enggi bansa dayak endor ngaga. Anjung anak kitai sekula ngagai poly, ka minta kerja enda di terima laban nadai pengelaman.
Di ambi pekerja ari Indon kitai semina peli peli ngapa meda. Bisi karan ari hydro enda diberi ngagai orang empu menoa tang jual ke menoa bukai. Pansut gas, minyak, alluminium enggau utai bukai dijual mar ngagai kitai bakani ko tau mai penyamai. Enggau bekunsi numbuh ke ladang sawit padah ke kompeni rugi nadai ga dibayar dividen, nanam jetropha nadai ga rega. Orang ke bulih pengaya ari utai tu iya nya sida ke endang udah kaya, orang menoa bukai enggau tuai tuai perintah BN. Rayat biasa anggau kitai ke empu menoa deka nyadi kuli lalu majak meskin belama tanah abis menoa nyadi papa. Nya alai berunding meh kitai maya pilihan raya, ubah meh perintah nya baru penemu ulih adu polisi ulih diganti. Nadai parti bukai ke endor kitai mutar enti enda PKR. DAYAK LAMA nyangka enda meda laban udah kena lindong pala agong ke ngasoh iya enggai badu nyukung parti BN, awak ke ia ga mengkang lama laban ular sawa enda ulih ubah nyadi burung achang.
Sure,DAM bring benefits to our people to some extends. Asks LA folks how prosper they are, tens of electric tower flying by their rooftop nevertheless make a pit stop alike. All dayaks should congratulate the one and only ‘Yang Dikasihi’ for his effort and courage to bring massive development in terms of economy,basic neccessities to all remote area. Since 1974,(35 years) nobody is being neglected. In education the dayak has excel to the highest and most honor discipline such as nuclear scientist, rocket scientist,cock fighting maestro.Thanks his briliant brainchild SALCRA which according to world bank UNDP journal JULY 2009, our dayak economics has advance 4.2% compare to last year although our country facing the worst economy crisis ever.This due to Yang Dikasihi efforts to consilidated our NCR land with his Cronnies and families that has a close business ties with the lebanese and the swiss companies. So far Yang Dikasihi has deliver his promises of RM70 mils of ‘Pemansang’to batang ai during by election,which is taking a huge applause by the people of sydney. So please don’t and never vote for these kind of dayak junk and pirate in the future, otherwise they will bring more suffering to the people, taking our land, freedom,wives and most of all our dayak he will selling dayak rights to the lebanese and the swiss. Read and pray.
Attention Melanau Mukah, as you know that there is No EIA for construction of Murun and rest dam that proposed to be built. Also include the SCORE office behind Pehin building. If there is castrophic or natural disaster at your home don’t blame God. Blame yourself as human given to think rationally.Moron!
Anang ga ka ngasoh projek nya rumbau baka projek kepayang Aya kitai ke lelingai nya ga unggal. Enti kitai ngaga mayuh dam, sida ke kena sigi ka bulih mayuh ulih. Duit pampasan pen mayuh diberi agai sida ke kena ampoh ai alu pegong pen besai amai alai kena nupi sida ikan empurau, tengadak, sutan, tuman, labang, semah, banta, buing, baong etc. Ai pen mayuh ga disimpan disalur agai menua sida ke nguan menua ai masin din, ke suah tusah kena kemarau panjai. Projk mayuh, kantau pen mayuh ga. Menteri ke paloi sda nya enti enda ngaga mayuh projek ba menua tu. Kitai ke nganu sida nya sigi baka iya laban ke enda ampit utai ke mayuh. Enti sema aku nyadi CM, aku sigi naka ulih deka ngaga tangga ba tangga Beji nuju ke tungga menua seruga kin.
aku enda setuju orang ngaga dam nyak..laban sayau ka kampung..sayau ka menua lama..lasih ka orang ka bempu tanah…sungai nadai tau pupus ngapa enti kitai enda betebang ka bala pun kayu..menua org sepiak nyin ni ulih sangkung kitai..enti amat perintah ka ngemaju ka kitai..lapa enda meri projek,bla babi.manuk.ikan dh?nmahal mesti ngaga dam?keni ka bala ucu icit kitai ila?kada ti ngelala pun kayu agi?bkani enti pun kayu kitai ila habis,,enda ka kitai kena bencana banjir lumpur,tanah runtuh semua utai nyak ulh naban ka nyawa.enti ketegal aik ka kotor nyak ukai apa,ketegal kitai ka empu ka gila btebang ka kayu,nyual balak,nyak ngujung ka sungai kitai kamah..
ba penemu aku tentang YB G.Abit pansut ari PKR endak tau di titih ka kitai laban YB. tu nadai pendirian kak netan ka bangsa diri, lalu orang ka baka YB. G. Abit tuk tau di padah munsuh dalam selimut lalu enda tau diasuh diau didalam menua tu. laban kami anakbiak dayak ukai enggai ka perintah BN, cuma kami enggai ka pengawa sida ka lama tu endak adil untuk bala mayuh. ari segi kerja lalu terus ke pelajar. antik pengawa BN tuk diterus ka ba perambua aku bangsa dayak wiil be become peminta sedekah di menua diri. nah ka baka diatu pun kitai dipedak peminta sedekah olih mata orang manyuh. nama kebuah? Rumah panjai mayuh ditebang olih perintah. baka kami di Ulu Sebauh aku bc meda peta ari perintah sampai ka tapak rumah panjai kami pun di dalam kawasan ladang ke kak digagak oleh perintah. so mana penyadi kami di Ulu Sebauh tuk ilak. tentu meh rumah panjai kamipen deka ditebang. mina mayu tu bedau mungking 4 ke 5 tahun ke kak datai tuk ila. maya tu benung perintah yabung rakyat belayak. nama reti perintah anti baka tuk. antik kitai nyabung manuk ditangkap polis, tapi antik perintah nyabung rayat belayak. nama penyadi.
ok ila bertemu baru