Kuching – On the occasion of International Energy Week (IEW), people representing diverse communities from across Sarawak are gathering to discuss the socio-economics of power development. They will be considering alternative perspectives on the opportunities for ensuring socio-economic development, including of the power sector, will serve the long term energy needs of ordinary Malaysians.
The all day citizen’s meeting starting at 9.00 am, entitled “Indigenous People’s Conference” and hosted by Save Rivers Network and Gerakan Anak Sarwak (GASAK) will be held at the Grand Continental Hotel in Kuching, simultaneous to the IEW meeting hosted by the Sarawak Government at the Borneo Convention Centre.
“We know it’s technologically and economically feasible to power up all of Sarawak, while making sure there are good jobs and keeping our forests and free-flowing rivers intact,” explained Thomas Jalong from Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JAS)
Organizers of the citizen’s conference have reached out to Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the keynote speaker at the BCC, to endorse a broad and inclusive vision of power development, one that all Malaysians will benefit from.
“Today, we will be articulating a sustainable future we want to see, one which will mean that the youth and the generations to come will still be able to see for themselves the rich biodiversity of Sarawak’s river ecosystems, but also have equitable access to schools, clinics and other basic infrastructure. We want to see our communities be leaders in micro-hydro, wind, solar and other innovative technologies, while still preserving our land, the heritage that has been passed on by our ancestors,” said Caroline Nyurang of Save Rivers Youth wing.
“We believe we can make the shift beyond technologies of the past that destroy entire river basins and flood vast areas of forests, villages and customary lands in the name of development and progress. The time for that shift is now, “asserted Peter Kallang from SAVE Rivers.
A Press Conference will be held at 9.00 am on 28th January speaking at the conference will be villagers who were resettled to Sungai Asap to make way for the Bakun dam. All reporters/journalist are invited to the Press Conference at Telang Usan Hotel in Kuching.