Documentary Series On Bakun Dam (4) / 巴贡水坝专题4

This documentary series is reporting on social impact faced by more than 10,000 natives of Belaga area, who were forced to be relocated to Sungai Asap and Sungai Koyan area in 1998, to give way to the Bakun Dam construction. (producer : Chou Z Lam)

English translation for the Part 4 of the Bakun Dam RTM Documentary (translator : syamdive)

Before the dam was built there were 15 longhouses and 8 primary school in Hulu Sungai Balui. In 1998 about 10,000 residents were moved downstream from the dam in an area between Sungai Asap & Sungai Koyan. There are only two primary schools in this area and the problem of children dropping out of school is increasing.

Part 4: Dropping Out of School in the Resettlement Area

Uma Penan Talun in Sg Asap is a longhouse for the Penan people. This longhouse has 20 units, 46 families and 318 residents. A lot of the Penan children here do not go to school.

Interviewer: "How do you go to school? By walking or by car?"

Boy: "Some walking and some by car"

Interviewer" "What is your name?"

Girl: "Helen"

The Penan girl that answered the question with tears is called Helen. When she was 1 years old she followed her parents when they moved from Hulu Bakun to here. This year Helen should be in Form 1 but because her parents couldn't afford to pay her fare to school she only studied for one month. Since the Penans moved here the Penan kids must use a car to get to school since it's far away. A lot of kids dropped out of school due to parents not being able to afford the fare to school.

Woman: "The fare to the secondary school is RM70 a month and to the primary school is RM35. There have been a few months when the kids didn't go to school since there was no money for the fare. For example in January they were in school, but for February & March they just stay at home."

Intan Kutut is a mother to 8 children. She could only afford to send only 2 of them to school, the rest either stays at home or help the neighbors with their farming.

(...)

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Bakun dam documentary
• Chou Z Lam
• 巴贡水坝
• 周泽南

[HnJoshua]

This will happen to the native of Baram once the Baram Dam come on stream. Have we not learned from this Bakun Dam, from Batang AI dam?? Huhhh... So kesian. Who benefit? Who will suffer?

[MaSaOWaN]

rakyat di dahulukan pencapaian di utama kan

[CYLing90]

must know the behavior , living style.. and so on of the penan.. before decide a place for them,, makanan tak cukup,, tanaman tak cukup,, duit pun tak cukup,, macam mana hidup..

[pat4858]

i agree,for those teacher frm west malaysia, shud not complain. got that extra allowance even. and if you say "bukan kah duduk kat luar dekat ngan sekolah dari duk kat hulu". Wow, so easy to say... If you are a teacher, better done think that this as your profession... I think only short minded people with that kind of talk..

[cube52x]

@yeesiangs I agreed

[cube52x]

This is so sad :(

[schooluniform90]

@e8485

i guess you are a west Malaysian, if you are not aware of the situation of the aborigins in the East, i suggest silence is a form of contribution in another way, You claimed yourself as part of the "teacher community", but your remark did not reflect your proffesion because not only did not you offer solution for them, but pointed your finger at their lackadaisical attitude towards their children education. Over confident is ugly.

[seliparthai]

duduk dkat hulu bakun terpaksa berpindah ke luar. maknenye xmanpu untuk g sekolah kerana tambang? mane ok dari duduk kat hulu dngan dibawa keluar?? bukan kah duduk kat luar dekat ngan sekolah dari duk kat hulu.ape kene mengena ngan projek bakun...penbangunan la tuh..sape boleh xplain to me

[pat4858]

Don't ever think that teacher know what they have face... yes some with good IQ, what about the one with low IQ?... Where the teacher should put their initiative. Not saying they don't want to.Look like that you dosent give any good influence as a teacher...

[pat4858]

What you know... have you ever live without money? For these people they live with nature around them... After move to Asap, everything are taken away... Don't ever say or differentiate on their Intellect.. I don't think teacher can live without money... But they can...