SIMANGGANG: Pumped hydro technology will be introduced in the Sri Aman division as Sarawak seeks to harness its rivers for both power generation and agriculture.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said Sarawak’s abundance of rivers provided the state with a unique advantage over other nations that must share water resources.
“I recently returned from Paris, where I delivered a speech at the International Forum on Pumped Storage Hydropower at the UNESCO House there. It seems the response from experts was that what is most important today is water.
“For example, nations such as Egypt share the Nile River with several African countries, while Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos depend on the Mekong River.
“In Sarawak, we do not have this issue. We have many rivers, and they are all ours. So we are using scientific approaches to make use of this water, through pumped hydro technology,” he said.
He said this when officiating at the 22nd Sri Aman Pesta Benak opening ceremony held at the Sri Aman Waterfront here today.
Explaining the pumped hydro technology concept, Abang Johari said there could be two outcomes – generating electricity while supporting paddy irrigation.
“For the pumped hydro system, water is pumped to higher ground and then released, channelled into paddy fields, and between the paddy fields, because as we know, the theory of gravity means that when water flows down, and through turbines – this process would generate electricity.
“This way, we benefit from two outcomes. We will try this in the Sri Aman division, using technology that provides two advantages in one,” he said.
He stressed that Sarawak must embrace new approaches in developing its economy, including adopting modern technology to replace outdated methods.
“I hope this will become a symbol of our economic renewal, especially in areas like Sri Aman. Our agricultural produce must also be shared with our partners in other countries who can purchase our products,” he said.
Apart from that, the Premier mentioned that perishable produce such as pineapples must be exported immediately to avoid wastage, hence the establishment of the state-owned airline – AirBorneo, with a special cargo service to connect Kuching directly with Singapore.
“The ATR aircraft will serve as a freighter service, equipped with refrigeration to keep export goods fresh. Early in the morning, the produce can be exported to Singapore, which has limited land for food production,” he said.
He said Singapore has depended on Cameron Highlands for supplies, but faced long transport times through Johor.
“From Kuching to Singapore using an ATR cargo aircraft, it only takes one hour and 20 minutes. This gives us an advantage compared to Peninsular Malaysia,” he said.
He added that the same model could be applied to Jakarta, which can be reached in just one hour and 15 minutes by ATR aircraft.
Abang Johari hence stressed that Sarawak must continue to embrace new strategies in order to compete globally.
“We must adopt new ways, even in selling our goods. This is why we set up AirBorneo – not just for passengers, but also for cargo,” he said.
