MURUM: The establishment of the Murum Dam and Murum Hydroelectric Plant (Murum HEP) has opened up significant opportunities to improve the livelihoods of the rural communities in the Belaga District.
Through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) plays a pivotal role in the economic development of the native communities in the area.
SEB’s CSR initiatives focus on several key areas: education for the youth, culture and heritage, community development and entrepreneurship, as well as environmental conservation.
Alis Ekan, senior executive for CSR at SEB Murum, explained that the construction of the Murum HEP had a significant impact on the local communities, especially the Penan and Kenyah groups, who were resettled to Tegulang and Metalun as part of the project.
“The construction of the Murum hydroelectric dam affected the Penan and Kenyah communities, who had to be resettled. Under our CSR responsibility, we focus particularly on education, and we have implemented several programmes for the native communities affected by the dam.”
One of the key initiatives is the Penan Education Fund, which helps youth from these communities further their education.
Additionally, SEB Murum provides annual assistance to nearby schools, namely SK Tegulang and SK Metalun, including transportation for students to attend these schools, a service that has been in place since 2014.
“We also assist the schools by providing necessary school facilities and teaching materials, ensuring that both teachers and students are well-equipped for their educational needs. We collaborate with the Belaga Education Office to implement this assistance.”
SEB also opens up job opportunities for Penan youth by sending them to skills training institutions, where they can develop skills in fields such as electrical work, welding, fashion and textile design, and handicrafts.
“For training, we help them develop their skills and send them to Centexs (Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak) for training. After that, they are able to explore job opportunities in the market. Many of them are now working in estates close to their hometowns,” said Alis.
“Recently, we sent 16 youth for basic scaffolding training with an oil and gas company, and 15 of them are now employed by that company.”
Alis highlighted that through the CSR programme, SEB has made a positive impact on the local community both before and after the construction of the dam.
“Many of the Penan youth are now pursuing higher education and securing jobs in professional fields within government agencies. The development of the dam has opened up job opportunities for them, allowing them to take up positions as general workers and undergo semi-skilled training.
“With steady employment, they can now earn monthly salaries, improve their livelihoods, and better support their families.”
The Murum Resettlement Scheme includes the relocation of communities from Long Wat, Long Malim Penan, and Long Malim Kenyah to Tegulang, and from Long Tungau, Long Menapa, Long Singu, and Long Luar to Metalun.
