October 10, 2010

Debris of logs and branches floating down the Rajang River at Sibu...

The Rajang is log - jammed! The Rajang is debris - filled!

It is a sad day indeed for my hometown Sibu to be facing yet another problem besides floods of different magnitude throughout the year.



the Rajang River which is a life line has been choked by logs measuring 8 to 12 foot long and about 20 inches in  diameter or less. These are no ordinary natural broken branches or runaway logs from carefully tied rafts from the mills.

The logs are floating down the river due to heavy rainfall in the upper reaches of the Rajang. Soon they will be at the river mouth.


These logs look like logs which were hewn/ sewn but were not passed by government regulations for export. Or they could have come from abandon timber log ponds. What ever the root of the problem it is of paramount significance to ask why this wastage? However it poses as a great danger to life on the river - be it transport and daily life like fishing etc. School children have found themselves stranded because they cannot go to school in their normal means of tansport. Speedboats and river ambulances cannot help save lives because it is too dangerous to navigate in the river. And huge waves can sweep the logs into homes which can come tumbling down to say the least. There will be damages to lots of properties .







Questions have been raised by both opposition and local thinkers as to why and how this phenomenon is occuring.

There will definitely be more of these logs floating in the Rajang river and means must be found to reduce this danger or expose the careless and thoughtless users of our beloved resources.

Daily you rape your own mother (earth)! Do you really believe there are no consequences to such actions? Whatever you do to the web of life, whatever you do to your Sacred Mother Earth, you do to yourselves. If you choose to continue sleepwalking, one day soon you shall wake up to find that you have been evicted from what’s left of the Garden of Eden.
From Chief Seattle 1854 "Web of Life"

All photos by Steve Ling of Sibu. Thanks.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

This tragedy is caused by human greed to deforestations without permits...but permits can be bought.Thats the end of once clean Rejang River which used to be the blood line of most people ....be it fisherman or plying the river in transportations of goods.Also its the source of water supply for the townships along the river.Once it was blue water....not its brownish and very polluted....even the marine life cannot exist now.
Who should we blame for the river to get into such a mess thats beyond repairs?

Ah Ngao said...

this is man made crisis - all stem from greed .the g'vnt actually can pinpoint or track the source from aerial survelaince or using helicopter to catch the culprit.

Anonymous said...

Will you still choose the same government to control our country / Sarawak in next election??????????
Human greed can be said or related to who?? Government or those big company boss?? if both side not greedy then will this thing happen?? If the government can not control the "permit" whose else can control??? Let's think it ok?? i am no / going to lost confidence to our government..Next election will know the result..i hope the government will think it over and over. :(

Ah Ngao said...

btw to anonymous,i oledi consulted the soothsayer - this coming SE, rocket sapu all the cities and bit towns of S'wak

Mumble jumble said...

It's not just politics, politics isn't even a verb or a living being. The people.. THE PEOPLE. Who are involved in politics, logging, environment ignorant people who aren't educated enough to be trusted with a huge amount of land.

Imagine years ago, when there were less people around breeding generations of destruction. Things like this only happen when there's a real disaster.

Ensurai said...

Dear Anonymous !
I understand your sentiments. Greed has caused a lot of damages to every country and I must say especially in our own country where there are more ignorant and uneducated people who can be led by the nose. A zinc roof or gift of a pipe water can buy their hearts and allegiance forever. That is kacang so to speak in return for millions a politician can reap off the land.

Ensurai said...

Ah Ngao...when it comes to catching culprits in our Sarawak jungles the CID is unheard of and I think even the forestry reinforcement officers are having problem visions. You can smile. Our urban police can solve thefts within half a day or kill a gangster within minutes in the early hours of the morning. Hard to do comparisons here.

Ensurai said...

Dear Anonymous Two...I know who I will vote in my constituency...it is a pity that many votes are already vouched...until that wind of change comes the present government will win.

For 50 years people have been worshipping BAAL.

Ensurai said...

Ah Ngao...your soothsayer bribed or not? Just kidding.

Ensurai said...

Yes Freebird
At the end of the day it is WE The People who have put up the government and we are as much to be blamed when disasters like this happen.

I am sure there are many factors involved too. It is a good thing no deaths occur. Praise God for that.

Ah Ngao said...

my soothsayer ka?...mmm,..err hehehe

Ensurai said...

Ah Ngao...on another note....I read somewhere that the log jam was caused by the impounding of the water for Bakum Dam...if so why didn't the government or the relevant authorities warn the people of the river valley that such a disorder would be experienced.....and that river slops would become very unstable...and lives may be in danger!!

Human lives are human lives...no warning...nothing...what is all that ISO about huh?

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

,

My heart cries. I didn't think it was so serious when I read your post. Then I received a lot of emails and photos. I have linked my post to yours as you have videos,

http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2010/10/save-worldlook-what-they-done-to-my.html

Ah Ngao said...

and younno what,that aluminium smelter plant going to be an enviromental catasthrope - very very toxic waste.how many and who actually benefits directly from this poject? kon pun bo yiong.many times i envy the Singaporeans,small nation but superbly managed and runs superbly with such good system. younno years back,i thought i was right to feel proud about S'wak going to have Bakun dam project,but lately i got so pissed off with all the "putar baliks" and "excuses" and its so clear to all that its so correct to be called a "get-rich-quick-scheme" by some of the opposition

Ensurai said...

Dear Ann

Thanks...noted...it is sad that nothing really concrete has been said..future plans and present solutions etc. We are constantly at the mercies of "sudden inexplicable man made disasters.."????

Ensurai said...

Dear Ah Ngao

Our Ministers are also often "taken by surprise..." and they speak about " these are unique occurrences of nature...." Like they never read the world news or books which have been giving a lot of warning and caution...

Anonymous said...

Who are to be blamed this time? The natives? The shifting cultivators?

Ensurai said...

Dear Anonymous...the latest news from Sarawak said that the gods are angry and they have to be appeased...200 longhouses may turn up for a special Miring ceremony led by a highly western educated minister of the government.

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