BALEH assemblyman Nicholas Kudi Jantai has urged the Sarawak government to reconsider the proposal for coal mining in the upperstream of Sungai Tunoh, Entuloh and Merirai.
He said he had received complaints from residents in the Tunoh, Entuloh, and Merirai areas regarding the proposed coal mining activities.
“Local residents opposed the proposal to establish coal mining activities, fearing potential permanent damage caused by various pollutants in the future.
“Therefore, I urge the Sarawak government to reconsider the proposal as it is seen to be in conflict with the Net Zero Carbon target by 2050.”
Kudi said as the representative of the Baleh area, he is looking at the matter seriously and hopes that the Sarawak government will continue to focus on efforts towards transitioning to New Renewable Energy (NRE) initiatives that are green in nature.
On another note, he said Sarawak is not only fortunate to possess wealth in terms of natural resources that can contribute to its income, but also has many rivers that can be utilised to generate renewable energy.
“The proposed construction of a cascading dam on Sungai Gaat will not only generate electricity but also seen as a key to infrastructure and economic development for the Gaat area in Baleh.
“The residents in the Gaat area warmly welcome the proposal and express gratitude to the Sarawak government for choosing the Sungai Gaat as the location for the project’s construction and assessing the river structural capabilities.
“It is my sincere hope that the economic benefits from this dam project will be enjoyed not only by the surrounding population but will also open up more new opportunities to generate income for the people of Sarawak.”
