Ulu Papar, Borneo

In September, 2016, I joined a short trip to visit Ulu Papar, Borneo. We were there for three days two nights to complete some of the final task on the Micro Hydro system parts.

The objective of the visit was to set up the pre-paid electricity metering systems in two villages, Kampung Pongobonon and Kalangaan. The microhydro generators are already up and running for both of these villages but the next step is to install meters in each household so that the community can buy back the system over time.

I was assigned as the media person in this trip. There were about seven of us in the Four Wheel Drive Truck (imagine that!) three staff from our organisation, two interns from local university and two volunteers from Engineer Without Border, UK. At the back of the truck were two computers, 20 energy meters with pre-paid cards, and a fridge.

It was about one hour drive to Kampung Kalangaan where we would be spending the night. The journey started off from ISTC, Kampung Nampasan, Penampang to Kg. Sugud. At first the journey were on tarmac but as we went further into the forest, it became much more difficult driving conditions and less comfortable ride for the passengers as it was shaky here and there.

Intensive roadworks in progress

At first the road condition were really good as it was relatively new. It has been there for about a year or so and is currently being extended to allow construction traffic for a controversial new dam project, Kaiduan Dam. The Kaiduan Dam Project proposal would build a reservoir to supply water for the Penampang and Kota Kinabalu areas but will mean that several indigenous communities in the area of Ulu Papar, including those villages which we visited, will be displaced.

Activists from those villages affected and also from outside of these villagers feel that the voices of the communities in this region are not being given a fair hearing by the officials, that alternatives to this scheme have not been properly considered and that the resettlement arrangements will not be suitable.

Activists feel that indigenous communities in the area are not being fairly represented

In order to get to Kampung Kalangaan, we continued on foot (hiking), and then through the river.

Kampung Kalangaan is a peaceful place, very beautiful scenery and more cooler than in the town especially after the rain in the everning.

One of these chicken will be selected for our evening meal. I feel bad eating one of these chicken.

The team got on with some work in the afternoon. They needed to demonstrate how to install one of the electricity meters and how the charge cards and software would be operated. The task was tricky than the team anticipated because the software are not compatible with the existed computer. They then replaced the computer with the new one and after troubleshooting here and there, they manage to get the system done. One of the volunteer from EWB said that there are some problems with the software. She need to do more testing and trobleshooting after we go back in ISTC.

On our journey back to ISTC, Kampung Nampasan, we made a stop at Kampung Pongobonon and Kampung Tiku to collect some of the data from an existing payment system done by the community.

Our team did manage to clear the path.

We encountered a fallen rubber tree which had fallen virtually intact across the width of the road. With brute strength, we did finally get it out of the way by using the towing hook on the truck.

Hanging bridge to Kampung Tiku

Overall, it was a great experience and a tourist would kill for a joyride trip to Ulu Papar. Our team managed to complete their task by the end of the trip.

Thank you for reading my post