Plans for a 45km water transfer tunnel planned as part of a US$1bn water supply scheme from Pahang and Selangor in Malaysia are being delayed while a second environmental impact study is carried out.
This follows opposition to the project by local non-governmental organisations who protested to the Japan Bank for International Development. The bank refused to advance a loan until the second study has been done
Malaysian works minister Samy Vellu said: “It’s not going to be a three or four month study. It is going to take one year.” This was a reference to the earlier impact report done by the public works department on behalf of the department of environment that was later approved.
The project involves the construction of the transfer tunnel under the Titiwangsa mountain range to channel raw water from Pahang’s rivers to Hulu Langat in Selangor where it will be treated and distributed, together with two dams. These dams would displace two communities and will impact the Lakum nature reserve.
Mr Vellu said the tunnel and associated work is needed because Selangor’s fresh water resources would not be able to meet the state’s demand by 2008.
