Sarawak Geoportal discloses rainforest damage

Sarawak Geoportal discloses rainforest damage brought about by Petronas gas pipeline in Malaysian Borneo

The Bruno Manser Fund’s newly released Sarawak Geoportal shows a new 500 km Petronas pipeline’s trail of destruction between the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak

(BASEL, SWITZERLAND) With their new Sarawak Geoportal, the Swiss NGO, Bruno Manser Fund, brings transparency to a controversial gas pipeline project by Petronas, Malaysia’s national oil and gas company. Satellite imagery and geographical maps are showing the exact location of the gas pipeline connecting the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal in Kimanis with Petronas’ Liquified Natural Gas Complex in Bintulu, Sarawak.

The Malaysian oil and gas company Petronas has been repeatedly criticized for secrecy surrounding the project and for its failure to disclose the exact line of the 500km long Sabah-Sarawak Gas Pipeline (SSGP).

Over the last years, Sarawak’s energy policy gave rise for concern. Local communities erected several blockades against the construction of the 500km long gas pipeline. In particular the extraction of timber within the native customary land for the construction of the pipeline was criticised by a number of affected indigenous communities and was the reason why Penan communities asked Petronas to fulfil their demands for compensation.

Planned hydropower projects are online too

No less controversial than the gas pipeline are the plans of the Sarawak state Government to build 12 huge hydropower dams. The dams would flood more than 2’300km2 of tropical rainforest and would directly or indirectly effect an estimated population of 30’000 to 50’000 people. Despite strong protests, the Sarawak state government refuses to give up its plans. In early February, former Chief Minister Taib Mahmud said that two major new dams are going to be simultaneously constructed on the Baleh and Baram dam river.

The new Geoportal of the Bruno Manser Fund provides insight into Sarawak’s mega dam plans and the villages that would be affected by the implementation of the dams. The Geoportal is available not only in English but in Bahasa Malaysia too. This makes it easily accessible for everyone in Sarawak.

The Sarawak Geoportal in Malay/Bahasa Malaysia:http://www.bmfmaps.ch/MY/composer/#maps/1002

The Sarawak Geoportal in English: http://www.bmfmaps.ch/EN/composer/#maps/1001

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