news

State taking right path in use of hydropower – Dr Rundi

KOTA SAMARAHAN: The state government has taken the right direction in maximising the usage of hydropower in the state, said Utilities Minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom. Apart from being a renewable energy, Dr Rundi said hydropower that the state currently possesses such as the Bakun HEP, Murum HEP and Batang Ai HEP will be a very important part of the state’s energy generation in the future, particularly in ‘leapfrogging’ the industries in Sarawak. “As we all know, with the deflation of fossil fuel such as petrol and gas, we have to look at the alternative on how we can generate power. I’m from the Ministry of Utilities where the task given to us is to really look into how we can have sustainable power generation for the state. “So hydropower will be a very important part of our energy generation in the future. By the year 2025, we will be using 70 per cent of our power generation from hydropower and the fossil fuel and so on will be reduced into a very insignificant percentage in our power generation,” he said when officiating the launching of Green Tech Talk and ‘low carbon campus’ at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) here yesterday. Dr Rundi noted that the hydropower power generation potential for the state is about 20,000MW, while the power generation potential for gas and coal is about 2,000MW and 1,075MW respectively. “Our hydropower potential in Sarawak is nothing less than 24,000MW. Therefore, we can be a power hub for Malaysia or even Borneo. If we can double up our infrastructures well, we will be able to cover all the way to Brunei, Sabah, Southern Philippines, Kalimantan and maybe all the way to Peninsular Malaysia.” In noting that the state government was trying to reduce power generation from non-renewable sources, Dr Rundi said the coal power generation plants in Mukah and Sejingkat were sufficient to be the backup for the state’s power generation. “The energy that we produced is not only meant for Sarawak alone, we have surplus. Therefore, we have actually put it across the border. Indonesians from West Kalimantan are taking about 150MW from us. It is quite good money for Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB). “And in the future, they (West Kalimantan) are still asking because the population is big over the other side of the border. We can provide them with infrastructure from Sarawak, extend all the way to Kalimantan and so on and that will be another future for Borneo Grid.” With sustainable and affordable energy, Dr Rundi believed that the state can be a digital hub, data centre, among others. “Borneo is at the centre of everything. We are centre of all the big population nations like China and India. Yet, we have not manipulated this to our advantage. Now we are looking at it as something that has very bright future for Borneo Island. When we talk about Borneo (electricity) grid and Borneo water grid, everything must be Borneo so that one day, we will be able to have a real hub for data centre and so on.” Meanwhile, Dr Rundi said the Green Tech Talk was very timely to create awareness of green technology amongst students and the society. “I must congratulate Unimas for taking this initiative that you have been looking at renewable energy as part of green technology which is very important for us. I also must congratulate Unimas for creating CREN (Centre for Renewable Energy) that is very important.” He was also glad that Unimas had taken the initiative to be a ‘low carbon campus’, as he believed that institutions like Unimas could help the government in creating awareness amongst the community of the importance for the people to reduce carbon emission. While complimenting Unimas’ initiative to be a ‘low carbon campus’, Dr Rundi hoped that the university could be a ‘carbon free campus’ in the near future. Among those present at the event were Unimas deputy vice chancellor Prof Dr Wan Hashim Wan Ibrahim who represented Unimas vice chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohammad Kadim Suaidi.

news

Naik taraf loji air Bayai siap 80%

SRI AMAN: Menteri Muda Pembangunan Luar Bandar dan Perumahan Datuk Francis Harden Hollis memberitahu projek naik taraf Loji Perawatan Air Bayai di sini kini sudah mencapai 80 peratus siap.  Menurutnya, baki 20 peratus lagi melibatkan kerja-kerja pendawaian elektrik dan mekanikal dan dijangka siap sepenuhnya pada Jun depan. “Apabila sudah siap kelak, Loji Perawatan Air Bayai bernilai RM43 juta ini akan dapat memproses air bersih pada kapasiti 33 juta liter sehari (MLD) berbanding kapasiti sedia ada iaitu 13 MLD. “Ia secara tidak langsung akan dapat menampung penggunaan seramai 60,000 pelanggan selain memenuhi permintaan tambahan daripada penduduk Sri Aman pada masa akan datang,” katanya. Beliau selaku Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Simanggang berkata demikian ketika ditemui pemberita pada Program Lawatan Ke Loji Perawatan Air Bayai Bersama Ketua Kaum di situ, semalam. Sementara itu, kata Harden, kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) meluluskan peruntukan sebanyak RM2 juta untuk menukar paip AC lama kepada paip HDPE yang lebih berkualiti di Sri Aman. “Projek menukar paip AC kepada HDPE bagi peringkat Fasa I ini akan tertumpu di kawasan Jalan Resak, Taman Bayu, Jalan RTM Lama dan beberapa kawasan lain di kawasan bandar Sri Aman,” jelas beliau. Buat masa ini, katanya, pihaknya sedang menunggu proses tender yang memakan masa selama dua bulan. Setelah tender diberi kepada syarikat terpilih, maka baharulah projek menukar paip terbabit akan dilaksanakan, tambah beliau. Turut hadir pada lawatan itu ialah Jurutera Bahagian JKR Sri Aman Cassidy Morris dan Timbalannya Noor Ismail Razali, Timbalan Pengerusi Majlis Daerah Sri Aman Kaunselor Sawing Sumar, kakitangan JKR Sri Aman dan ketua kaum. Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/03/22/naik-taraf-loji-air-bayai-siap-80/#ixzz2xhm5Hyex

news

‘Most longhouses have power, water supply’

BALINGIAN: Most of the Iban longhouses and villages in Balingian constituency now have access to electrify, treated water and good roads, disclosed Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal. As such they had no reasons to support the opposition candidate whom he described as ‘outsider’, he added. “BN is putting up a well qualified and experienced local candidate in the person of Yussibnosh Balo as our candidate. And if you elect him, he will surely be able to bring more development to your area. “And since his wife is an Iban, he surely will assist you even more,” Shafie said when launching the rural electrification scheme (RES) at Rh Umin, Sg Liok, here yesterday. There are around 3,800 registered Iban voters in Balingian out of the total 13,366 registered voters. He added that the government had spent RM1.7 mill for the RES in the area which had benefited about 360 people from five longhouses. The longhouses are Rh Bangan, Rh Manggi, Rh Randi, Rh Kasit and Rh Umin. He also revealed that the government had allocated some RM60 mil for basic amenities for Balingian state constituency from 2010 till 2015. Shafie stressed that under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, the Federal Government wanted holistic development in the rural areas. “We will also implement ways on how to improve the livelihood of the people in the rural areas besides providing the basic amenities like water, electricity and roads,” he said. Among the challenges faced by the government to develop the rural areas are the physical and geographical factors of the rural settlements in Sarawak, he said. “Because of that we are using various methods how to implement basic amenities to isolated settlements especially to the longhouses. For instance, if we want to connect treated water to a longhouse which is hundreds of km away from the water treatment plants, then that is going to be very costly. “So we are coming up with a new technology in water treatment which is using the ‘live-saver’ method where we treated water from rivers or ponds by using ‘nano’ technology,” explained Shafie. As for electricity, he said the government is now using sources from either hydro micro or solar energy. “In some areas we even use wind turbines,” he said. Shafie said he was confident that the people in Balingian would vote for the BN candidate in the coming poll slated for March 29. “Balingian voters are a mature lot. I am confident that they will support us. The PKR slogan such as ‘justice for Anwar’ is not relevant here,” he said referring to the conviction of Pakatan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who was convicted of sodomy by the Court of Appeal recently. Shafie also supported the state government’s decision to bar racial and religious extremists from entering Sarawak as it would ensure continued stability and peace in the state. Meanwhile Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment and Minister of Public Utilities Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan said some 80 per cent of the state’s population in the rural areas had access to the RES and another 90 per cent had access to clean and treated water. He disclosed that under the NKRA, the Federal government had allocated some RM1.7 bil to implement RES and another RM1.7 bilfor treated water. Read more:  http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/03/25/most-longhouses-have-power-water-supply/#ixzz2xhn7GH00

news

Another wish fulfilled — upgrading of water treatment plant

MUKAH:The water treatment plant here will be upgraded to meet the increasing demand from local consumers, revealed Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan. Awang Tengah who is also Minister of Public Utilities said the Mukah water treatment plant was upgraded a few years ago but the capacity has reached its limit due to the increasing number of consumers particularly the influx of workers to Mukah due to the rapid industrialisation brought about by Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE). “It was upgraded in the last few years. And I know the need to upgrade the plant. I can’t give you the details capacity off-hand but definitely there is an increasing demand because Balingain sub-district will be connected from here. So there is really a need for us to upgrade the present capacity,” he reiterated. “The present water capacity is not enough to meet the increasing demand of the water supply, and because of that certain areas are facing low water pressure. “Anyway we have a plan to upgrade the water treatment plant in Mukah as well as to improve the distribution of the system here. We are also taking into consideration the latest development here,” Awang Tengah told the media at meet-the-people-session at Kpg Penakub Cina, some 8km from here yesterday. He said the government was also aware of certain parts of Balingian sub-district facing low water pressure. He said besides the needs of the ordinary consumers, the Regional Corridor of Development Authority (Recoda) which is based here had also sought federal funding to upgrade all related infrastructure under its jurisdiction. “I understand that Recoda is also requesting for fund from the federal Government and Mukah is one of the areas under the Sarawak Corridor of renewable Energy (Score). So it is our priority to upgrade our water treatment plant here in Mukah and to increase its capacity,” he said. Better distribution of treated water especially in Balingian sub-district is one of the seven wish-lists of the local people which has been highlighted by The Borneo Post even before the by-election was announced. Awang Tengah has assured the voters in the Balingian that government would look into their needs. Among the seven wish lists, four of them have been answered and committed by the government. These four are: bigger airport for Mukah, a secondary school for Balingian sub-district and a new primary for Kpg Tellian Tengah and an upgraded water treatment plant for the area. Meanwhile, Awang Tengah reiterated that the government had appointed a contractor to build the first phase of the new Mukah Airport. “As announced by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin recently, the new Mukah airport will be implemented in stages. For the first state, the Federal Government has allocated RM133 million for earth-works and the contractor has also been appointed to implement it,” he said. Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/03/22/another-wish-fulfilled-upgrading-of-water-treatment-plant/#ixzz2xhnrjiu9

news

Manage water supply prudently, authorities told

  BINTULU: Everybody needs water. As such, those responsible must endeavour to provide adequate, reliable and quality water to all consumers at all times.   Thus, the water rationing in several states in Peninsular Malaysia should serve as a reminder to the water authorities in Sarawak on how important it is to manage water supply prudently all the way from the raw water source to the treated water at the consumer’s tap, said Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.   Speaking at the opening ceremony of the third edition of Sarawak Water Supply Retreat 2014 themed ‘Optimising Demand Management for Water Supplies in Sarawak’ at ParkCity Everly Hotel here yesterday, the Minster of Public Utilities and Industrial Development said it is a fact that water authorities in many parts of the world, including Malaysia, were faced with increasing challenges in terms of quality and quantity of water resources.   “Water scarcity is affecting every continent, brought about by climate change due to global warming, wastage of water and pollution of water resources amongst many other causes,” he said.   Climate change, rapid population growth and urbanisation, industrialisation, water quality, diminishing freshwater resources, non-revenue water and aging infrastructures, he said, are all taking their toll on the water supply systems.   “Whilst our population is rapidly increasing, water resources have remained constant, with the water quality deteriorating due to pollution.   “Therefore, there is an urgent need for improved water conservation, methods for managing water demand and technologies to reduce water wastage,” he said. He pointed out that water demand management has been defined as a management approach that aims to conserve both the quality and quantity of water by controlling demand.   “It aims to increase water efficiency through both wise use and reduction, which in turn will reduce or postpone the need to build more infrastructures such as treatment plants, dams, reservoirs and distribution systems,” he added.   A more holistic water demand management, he said, should cover the management of water demand in all sectors of the state including municipalities, industry, tourism, agriculture, forestry and other activities of importance.   It has been estimated that about 70 per cent of the earth surface is covered by water and less than one per cent of the water on earth can be used as drinking water, therefore it can no longer be taken for granted even in our country which has a tropical climate with very high annual rainfall, he pointed out.   The United Nations, he said, has warned that most of the countries in the world are not yet prepared for the adverse impacts of climate change that are already taking place on a global scale.   The UN report has confirmed that the effects of climate change are already widespread and consequential, affecting water supplies, human health, agriculture and ecosystems among others, he added.   “The Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre in Singapore has predicted that another dry spell longer than the current one as experienced in Peninsular Malaysia is expected from June until October this year, lasting about five months.   “In this situation, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels but be ever vigilant and ready so that we would not be caught off-guard, thus we must be ready to put in place all necessary contingency measures,” he advised.   He also hoped the four-day water supply retreat would produce some good ideas to meet the needs of domestic consumers and industrialisation taking place in Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy. About 90 participants are taking part in the retreat.   Among those present were Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Water Supply) Datuk Sylvester Entri, Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Electricity and Telecommunications) Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi and permanent secretary of Ministry of Public Utilities Ubaidillah Abdul Latip. Read more:  http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/04/16/local-news-coming-soon-booking-minits-16-april-33/#ixzz308rKmpfr

news

Simunjan to have no more water woes soon

  KUCHING: There is good news for the people of Simunjan especially those who will be celebrating Gawai Dayak this year as they will be finally free from water woes.   The good news was announced yesterday by Assistant Minister of Resource Planning Datuk Naroden Majais. “I am going to push for it (treated water to Simunjan) before Gawai Dayak this year. This will be something special for those who are going to celebrate it,” Naroden told the media at his office at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here yesterday.   The issue of Simunjan water woes has been plaguing the coastal town for a long time and has been hogging the media limelight almost annually especially during dry spells as the town’s water treatment plant could not supply enough treated water to the some 30,000 town dwellers.   The Borneo Post has been following the issue since the Borneo Post Adventure Team (BAT 2013) trip to the town and other coastal towns in July last year.   “With the Sageng Bridge across Batang Simunjan almost completed, in fact we expect it to be completed by July this year, we hope the water mains could be connected across the bridge sooner than that,” Naroden said.   Thus, when the water mains from Gedong is connected to Simunjan across the Sageng Bridge, treated water for Simunjan town would be supplied from both the Slabi water treatment plant in Serian, (via Gedong) as well as from the existing Simunjan water treatment plant.   “For the time being I hope that there will be plenty of rain so that the people will have enough water. I ‘kasian’ (pity) my people,” said the Simunjan assemblyman.   Naroden explained that the delay in the supply of treated water from Slabi treatment plant was mainly due to the construction of an 18km road from Gedong to Simunjan which included two bridges. The whole project costs RM120 million.   “The road has been completed. So is the other bridge crossing Batang Skrang. And both Batang Skrang and Batang Simunjan bridges cost RM40 million each,” he disclosed, adding that the whole project started two years ago.   However, Naroden stressed that to stabilise the water pressure to reach Simunjan, there was an urgent need to build a high-level water tank either at Slabi itself or at Gedong.   “We need the high-level water tank so that there is enough pressure for the water to reach Simunjan as the distance is quite far,” Naroden said, adding that the new water supply from Gedong to Simunjan was using an 18-inch diameter water main.   He disclosed that the water connection project from Gedong to Simunjan cost RM20 million to implement. The project started last November. Read more:  http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/04/16/local-news-coming-soon-booking-minits-16-april-26/#ixzz308s6Klkl

news

Entri: Gravity-feed water supply initiative a ‘has been’

  BELURU: DAP’s effort to use ‘Impian Sarawak’ to provide gravity-feed water supply to rural folks pales in comparison with the government’s initiative in providing treated water to the people.   Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Water Supply) Datuk Sylvester Entri said the DAP was making a big deal out of what they had done with ‘Impian Sarawak’.   “We have already moved on to nano technology, such as Lifesaver M1 filtration system,” he said when launching the system at Rumah Ramba in Sungai Liam, Bakong, and Rumah Abon in Tinjar yesterday.   He said the government could easily implement gravity-feed system by providing materials such as pipes to the local community, but this was not a tangible long term solution.   “DAP’s rural push to provide gravity-feed water by just providing pipes is merely replicating what we have done a long time ago. They are merely aimed at gaining political mileage.”   A single unit of Lifesaver M1 unit, he pointed out, could provide clean drinking water for 20 households. This project comes under the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development.   Some 80 of such systems would be implemented in 78 longhouses and settlements in Marudi constituency, where Entri is its assemblyman.   Meanwhile, Entri urged the ministry to reconsider its distribution criteria. For instance, he said, longhouses having between 35 and 38 doors ought to be given two units of the system. “What is another few doors short of 40 when compared to practical rural needs in Sarawak.” He also said it would be more practical to provide the individual jerry can filtration system instead of the current single unit system.   “These individual jerry cans can be brought from inside the individual ‘bilek’ (room) to the source of water in the river or to farms.”   On the Lifesave System, Entri advised its recipients to maintain it well in order to prolong the lifespan of the filtration system.   “Good management at village or longhouse level is critical for system to last.”   A spokesman from the contractor, Dr Rajiv Bhanotn, said up to 540,540 gallons of water from rainwater or other sources could be treated by the nano filtration system. It is safe for drinking without cooking. Read more:  http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/04/13/entri-gravity-feed-water-supply-initiative-a-has-been/#ixzz308spP3V9

news

Murum water at minimum operating level

KUCHING: The 944 megawatt (MW) Murum hydroelectric project (HEP) is expected to be fully operational by early next year, says Sarawak Energy’s vice-president (Hydro Section) Polycarp Wong. He said impoundment of dam had now reached its minimum operating level of 515m (above sea level).   “This is certainly a key milestone for the Murum HEP impoundment. Thanks to good rainfall, the impoundment is well ahead of schedule.   “This is the level (515m) where there is, theoretically, sufficient water volume to begin operation of the HEP. Our team is currently preparing for the testing and commissioning of the turbines.   “We expect the HEP to be in commercial operation in early 2015,” Wong said yesterday.   Serving as one of the power sources for the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), Murum HEP is set to provide clean and renewable energy to all Sarawakians, as well as SCORE’s customers.   The project is also expected to spur development in the surrounding areas by providing better connections, education, healthcare, infrastructure and amenities to the indigenous communities living along the reservoir of the HEP.   Work on the RM4 billion Murum HEP started on Oct 1, 2008, while its impoundment was carried out on Sept 21 last year.   Murum HEP Dam is the second mega-dam project after the Bakum HEP Dam. It is located about 70km upriver from Bakun HEP Dam, which started transmitting power on Aug 6, 2012. Read more:  http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/04/11/murum-water-at-minimum-operating-level/#ixzz309Bvy2Wq

news

Awg Tengah in Dubai for investment meeting

KUCHING: Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan recently led an entourage to attend the fourth Annual Investment Meeting at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.   A press statement issued from Dubai said Awang Tengah, who is also Public Utilities Minister and Industrial Development Minister, attended the three-day meeting upon the invitation of United Arab Emirates Economy Minister Sultan Saeed Al Mansoori.   Those in the state entourage included Assistant Minister of Industrial Development (Investment and Promotion) Datuk Julaihi Narawai, State Planning Unit (SPU) director Datu Ismawi Ismuni, Ministry of Industrial Development permanent secretary Datu Liaw Soon Eng, Ministry of Public Utilities permanent secretary Ubaidillah Abdul Latip and Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) general manager Datu Sarudu Hoklai. Also present were officers from STIDC, SPU, Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) and the Ministry of Public Utilities.   The meeting, which started on Tuesday, ends today. Read more:  http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/04/10/awg-tengah-in-dubai-for-investment-meeting/#ixzz309DMh5r2

news

Murum hydro electric project impresses delegates from UKAS, federal agencies

KUCHING: A delegation comprising the Public-Private Partnership Unit (UKAS) in the Prime Minister’s Department, federal agencies and the Regional Corridor Development Authority (Recoda) visited the Murum hydro electric project (HEP) recently.   Leading the 20-member delegation was UKAS deputy director-general (Policy) Dato Badaruddin Mahyudin, who was accompanied by Recoda’s CEO Datuk Amar Wilson Baya Dandot and senior officials from JKR and Sarawak Energy. Among those from Sarawak Energy were its general manager (Planning & Strategy) Alvin Lim, and senior manager (Hydro Owner’s Project Management) Kueh Lak Tee. The April 23 visit was an educational tour for the delegation in which they were briefed by project director Frankie Chin and his team on the Murum HEP development, including its resettlement exercise.   After the briefing, they were given a tour around the dam site, which included the dam crest, spillway, Ecological Power System (EPS) and power house.   The visitors were impressed with the progress and on-going works at the dam, especially with the infrastructure and facilities provided under the resettlement exercise.   There were a number of queries, particularly on the resettlement programme, which the delegation felt was implemented well by Sarawak Energy.   They acknowledged that the resettlement programme had been put in place, and main concerns like basic infrastructure, amenities, education for both adult and child and the villagers’ health tackled.   The delegation admitted this was not an easy feat as it would take some time to get the people to settle into their new environment and experience the sustainable benefits that come from this.   Aside from the compensation package, the villagers are given continuous assistance to help them adapt to their new life.   This includes initiatives such as the Home Garden Programme, which is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Agriculture and Sarawak Energy, and the Murum Penan Literacy programme. These community development programmes were meant to give the affected equal access to development.   The delegation expressed their gratitude to Sarawak Energy for welcoming and allowing them to visit the Murum HEP.   UKAS’s mission is to drive economic transformation through strategic public-private partnership based on integrity, innovation and value for money principle for the well being of the people.   Prior to this, the visitors attended a briefing on the progress of Murum road by JKR at its site office at the junction of Bakun/Murum road. Read more:  http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/05/03/murum-hydro-electric-project-impresses-delegates-from-ukas-federal-agencies/#ixzz31rg7Fc2E