NEWS & UPDATES

Murum, Sarawak, September 30, 2013: Sarawak Energy Berhad has confirmed that work at the Murum hydroelectric plant resumed this afternoon.
 
Work on the powerhouse and the intake tunnel at the Murum site had stopped on Saturday, 28 September 2013 after a small group of protestors threatened the lives of workers with machetes.
 
Mr. Zhao Jian Qiang, the General Manager of China Three Gorges Corporation said “Even though only a few protestors were involved, our men believed that the threats were serious”.
 
Having travelled to the project site today to make a direct assessment of the situation, Sarawak Energy CEO Datuk Torstein Dale Sjotveit said “Threats of violence against workers going about their lawful employment can not be tolerated under any circumstances.”
 
“The Sarawak Energy team has been working with the Penan at Murum for many years and we have a good relationship with the great majority of the directly affected communities. 
 
“It is disturbing to see that the poisonous influence of foreign instigators has now led to threats of violence.”
 
“My clear message to the protestors is that foreign trouble makers and anti-government NGOs have never done anything practical to help you and they never will”.
 
“Sarawak Energy is proud of our contribution to the new resettlement communities near Murum, which are amongst the best of its kind in the world. 
 
“Our door is open to any legitimate representatives of the directly affected communities to discuss how we can support their transition to a more secure livelihood.
 
“However, we will never give in to threats.”