* FREE housing to replace the old houses-BUT the Federal government which is expected to foot the bill has not approved it; what if the approval never come?
* MORE land than 3 acres will be given to displaced villagers; Currently the re-settlement area in Kg Semadang is rather congested-with existing residents using most of the lands; where can the government find new land for the Bengoh villagers?
* Consultation with the people eg choosing their re-settlement area; However the government re-settlement area is chosen by the government alone; Most importantly the people are not consulted on whether they want to move-only the compensation is being discussed;
Can such vague promises win over the voters of Bengoh? The only circumstance where they can `impress' the voters would be when there is no challenge to these vague promises from other candidates.
Bengoh natives still blur about compensation package
The Sarawak government must ensure that the natives affected by the Bengoh Dam don't end up 'poorer and marginalised'.
KUCHING: The Sarawak government must pay the families and villagers who are affected by the construction of the Bengoh Dam adequate compensation that takes into account their immediate and long term needs.
Making this call, a former diplomat John Tenewi Nuek said the villagers had made a “tremendous and invaluable sacrifice” in leaving their ancestral sites.
“The affected villagers are making tremendous and invaluable sacrifices for the construction of the dam and it is only fair and just that they be given a comprehensive, adequate and fair package of compensation that takes into account their short-term as well as their long-term interests.
