The state of Sabah is planning to build a RM4bil dam to address its water supply issues. However, engineers are questioning the necessity of an inland dam and suggesting alternatives, such as coastal dams, to minimize environmental impact. Former Sabah Water Department director Datuk Dr Amarjit Singh and water engineer Lim Sin Poh believe that Sabah needs to adopt a new approach to meet its future water and power needs.
In response to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor’s announcement of the hydro-electric dam in Ulu Padas, Tenom, Amarjit and Lim issued a joint statement stating that Sabah should consider constructing a coastal reservoir instead. This innovative concept involves storing floodwater from a river system before it reaches the sea. They argue that this approach, storing water downstream of the river near the river-sea confluence, is a paradigm shift in water resource development compared to the conventional method of inland dam construction.
According to Lim, statistics reveal that the world currently discharges 42,800 cubic km/year of freshwater into the sea, with a major portion being floodwater. As members of the International Water Association, Amarjit and Lim believe that Sabah should explore this alternative solution.
The groundbreaking for the RM4bil dam is scheduled to take place in October, and the project’s completion is expected by August 2026.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
