session 4: spatial planning and eia law case study: bakun
TRANSCRIPT
© Developing Environmental Law Champions, Train-the-Trainers (TTT) Program 2017.
STRENGTHENINGCAPACITYFORENVIRONMENTALLAWINTHEASIA-PACIFIC:DEVELOPINGENVIRONMENTAL
CHAMPIONSSiemReap,Cambodia,27November– 1December2017
SESSION4:SpatialPlanningandEIALawCaseStudy:BakunDam,Malaysia
PresentedbyAmandaKennedy1
© Developing Environmental Law Champions, Train-the-Trainers (TTT) Program 2017.
TheBakunDam,Sarawak,EastMalaysiaPurposeofthiscasestudy- toexamine:
- applicationofEIAlaws- conflictsbetweenfederalandstatejurisdiction- publicparticipationandrightsofIndigenouspeoples- thedevelopmentvsconservationdilemma- goodgovernance/corruption
Materialstobestudied:- backgroundinformation– seehttp://www.internationalrivers.org/campaigns/bakun-dam- KajingTubekvEkranBhd case(HighCourt&CourtofAppealdecisions)-
2
© Developing Environmental Law Champions, Train-the-Trainers (TTT) Program 2017.
BakunDamProject• TheconstructionoftheRM15billiondamisthemostexpensiveprivatized
projectinMalaysiatodate• 207metreshighand300metreswide,floodinganareaof700sqkm,
BakunisthelargesthydroelectricdamprojectinSoutheastAsiaandthesecondtallestdamintheworld
• 10,000Indigenouspeoplesfromvariousethnicgroupswillbeuprootedfromtheirancestrallands
• Projectwasproposedin1970s,shelvedin1990s• 1994:awardofprojecttoSarawaktimbertycoon’scompany,Ekran
Berhad;althoughneitherhenorhiscompanyhadbuiltadambefore• Singledam,generating2400MW,costRM13.6Billion• IntendedtosupplypowertomainlandMalaysiaviaunderseacables
4
© Developing Environmental Law Champions, Train-the-Trainers (TTT) Program 2017.
Controversies• EIAswerebrokeninto4parts(reservoir,dam,transmissionlines,undersea
cable)sothateachcomponentcouldbeseparatelyapproved• First3partswerenotreleasedtothepublic(FebtoApril1995)• FinallyreleasedinMay1995- CritiqueofBakunEIAbyIRN:
- failedtoexplainwhythedamwasneeded- failedtoadequatelyconsiderthe‘nodam’alternatives,othersourcesofenergy- didnotevaluatelongtermimpacts,orinteractionsbetweendifferentimpactsegeffectofwaterqualityonfisheries- didnotadequatelyestimatelifespanofproject- technicalworriesre:cablesthatdeliverpowertomainland– howlongthesewilllast,howmuchtheycost,howmuchpowerwillbelosttravellingthroughthecableetc.
5
© Developing Environmental Law Champions, Train-the-Trainers (TTT) Program 2017.
KajingTubek v. EkranBhd&Ors [1996]HighCourt• June1995:ActionsuingEkranBerhad,DirectorGeneralofEnvironmental
QualityandGovt.ofMalaysia,claimingbreachofthe1974EnvironmentalQualityAct(EQA)inthattheEIAswerenotmadeavailabletothepublicandtheywerethusdeprivedofopportunitytocommentontheproposal
• Federallaws- EQAs34AandEnvironmentalQuality(PrescribedActivities)(EIA)Order1987requiredEIAforlargedamprojects
• SarawakNaturalResourcesOrdinance1949requiredEIAtobesubmittedtoSarawakNaturalResourceBoardforreview
• 1994Sarawakstategovt.passedNaturalResources&Environment(PrescribedActivities)Orderlistingdamprojectsasprescribedactivities
6
© Developing Environmental Law Champions, Train-the-Trainers (TTT) Program 2017.
Kajing Tubek v. Ekran Bhd &Ors [1996]HighCourt(cont’d)
• 27March1995– Ministerde-prescribedlistofactivitiesrequiringEIAsfromEQAinrelationtotheStateofSarawak,gazettedon20April1995
• 5July1995– SarawakOrderenacted- theprescribedactivitiesunderEQAshallnotapplytoSarawak;toberetrospectiveasfrom1st September1994
• Defendantsarguedinteralia:the3plaintiffshadnolocusstandiastheyhadnotsufferedanyspecificordirectdamagewhichwasdifferentfromothermembersofthepublic
• HeldbyHighCourt (JamesFoongJ)(1)UndertheGuidelines,publicparticipationretheEIAwasmandatory,thuscommentingbythepublicwasaright;(2)plaintiffshadlocusstandiasdestructionoftheforestswoulduprootandimmenselyaffecttheirlives;AmendmentOrderforSarawakwasinvalid
7
© Developing Environmental Law Champions, Train-the-Trainers (TTT) Program 2017.
RelocationofIndigenousPeoples• ManySarawakIndigenoustribeshavebeenrelocatedtoa
longhousesettlement– SungaiAsapinBakun– Mostofthemweresubsistencefarmers;eachfamilywaspromised3
acresoflandbutmanyfamiliesstillhavenotbeencompensated
• BasiccommunityproblemsfacedbydisplacedIndigenouspeoples,suchasthelackoflandareasforfarmingandhunting,lackofeducational,medical,andtransportfacilities
• Watersarecontaminatedbyindustrialactivitiesnearby• Watersalsodamagedbyrottingtimberandvegetationthat
fellintothewaterswithdestructionoftheprimaryforests
8
© Developing Environmental Law Champions, Train-the-Trainers (TTT) Program 2017.
DecisionofCourtofAppeal• DeputyPMAnwarIbrahimstatedthatthepreliminaryworkonBakuncangoonas
planned,despitetheHighCourt’sdecision,asthecourtrulingwasontechnicalprocedures;ithadnotdirectedthatworkbestopped.DecisionwhethertostopworkorproceedlieswithEkran.
• Onappeal:18Feb1997– CourtofAppealheld:StateofSarawakhadexclusivejurisdictionoveritslands,Sarawakhaditsownenvironmentallaws;FederalConstitutionplaceslandasasubjectundertheStateslist
– SincetheprojectrelatedtolandandriverwithinSarawak,itwastheSarawaklawandnotFederalEQAthatapplied
• Plaintiffsonlyhadthresholdlocusstandi,butnotsubstantivelocusstandi,notrepresentativeincharacter(thiswasnotaclassaction),theyhadsufferednospecialinjury
• HighCourthadfailedtoconsiderthepublicandnationalinterestsinvolved• Coststobebornebybothparties,asIndigenouspeoplewereconsidered
tobe“confused”bythelaws
9
© Developing Environmental Law Champions, Train-the-Trainers (TTT) Program 2017.
SuspensionandRevivalofProject• 1997projectsuspended– economiccrisis;Malaysiangovernmenttookback
theprojectandpaidbetweenRM700million– 1.1billionin‘compensation’toEkran
• March2001– MalaysianFinanceMinisterannouncesthattheDamwillproceed,onthesamescale,withacapacityof2,400megawattsbutwithoutcableslinkingittothemainlandpeninsula
• ScalingdownofcostsfromRM13.5billiontoRM9billion;fundingtobetappedfrominternationalsources
• ThedamwouldsupplyelectricitytoSarawak,Sabah,BruneiandpossiblyKalimantaninIndonesia
• Meanwhile– critiquebySwissactivistBrunoManser(forthePenan,anIndigenoustribe);seerepliesfromMalaysianPMDrMahathir“ThePenandTheSaw”;ManserdisappearedinFeb2000andwaslaterdeclareddead
• Plansforbiomassremovalinthefloodbasin– thishowevernevercametofruition
10
© Developing Environmental Law Champions, Train-the-Trainers (TTT) Program 2017.
Evaluation• TheDamhasbeenoperatingsince2011• Damhas8turbines,eachgenerating300megawattsofpowerbutreportssayonly
6unitsinoperation,eachgeneratinghalfload(150mgw)=900megawatts• Therearereportsitisunsafe,ascontractorsadmittedcuttingcorners,mixed
cementwithwater,poorqualitycontrol,lackofinspections• TheDam’sreservoirsubmergedsome700squarekilometresoffarmlandand
forests;initsfirstfewyearsofoperationithasexperiencedhighnitrogenloading• Chemicalrunofffromnearbypalmoilplantationshasdepositedsedimentinthe
reservoir,corrodingfouroftheturbinesinstalledandcausingnearbysoilandvegetationerosion
• Sarawakhasannounceditwillbebuilding12newdams• ResettledIndigenouspeoplestillstrugglingtomakealiving;variouslawsuitshave
beenfiledtoupholdtheirrights• TransparencyInternationalincludesBakunDaminits'Monumentsof
Corruption'GlobalCorruptionReport
11
© Developing Environmental Law Champions, Train-the-Trainers (TTT) Program 2017.
Indigenousperspectives• ThefollowingYouTubedocumentaryhighlightssomeofthe
IndigenousperspectivesontheBakunDamdevelopment:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTomULpa4uQ
12
© Developing Environmental Law Champions, Train-the-Trainers (TTT) Program 2017.
Questions• Whatlessonscanbelearntfromthiscasestudy?
– Shoulddamprojectsbeundertaken?Ifso,howbestshouldtheyberegulated?Whatsafeguardsshouldtherebe?
– HavetherightsofIndigenouspeoplesbeenviolatedinthiscase?Whatrightsdotheyhave?
– Howcanthelawspromotebettergovernance?Whatlawswouldyoucraft?
– Giveargumentsfor/againsttheDam– representing(a)thegovernment(b)thetribes(c)conservationgroups
13
© Developing Environmental Law Champions, Train-the-Trainers (TTT) Program 2017.
References• ChanWingCheong“EnvironmentalProtectioninMalaysia–
LessonsfromtheBakunHydroelectricprojectlitigation”[1998]• http://www.internationalrivers.org/campaigns/bakun-dam• http://www.cleanbiz.asia/news/sarawaks-bakun-raises-
development-corruption-questions• Sevensinsofdambuilding
http://www.wwf.eu/?207987/7-sins-of-dams• ToDamorNottoDam?
http://d2ouvy59p0dg6k.cloudfront.net/downloads/2045.pdf
14