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PAPAR: The construction of the Papar Dam will begin as soon as the new plan is ready, according to Sabah Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Peter Anthony.
He said the new plan was made after the state government had decided to build the dam in the Papar river next to Kampung Menderingin.
“(During the previous government) the dam, known as the Kaiduan Dam, was supposed to be built at the Penampang-Papar border.
“But the current government has decided to change the location and it will be built in Papar area. So, we are working on the new plan and it will be completed as soon as possible,“ he told reporters after visiting the construction site, near here yesterday.
He said the dam would also be used to generate electricity.
“This dam will generate 100 kilovolt-ampere (KVA) power that can accommodate the needs of people from Papar to Kota Kinabalu.
“According to a study, the dam will have the capacity to hold 1,000 million litres of water per day and it will be able to solve water supply problems in Papar, Kota Kinabau and nearby areas,“ he added.
Peter said the project was estimated to cost about RM3 billion and the state government would take a soft loan from the federal government to finance the project.
He said the road leading to the construction site, which is currently in a poor condition, would be upgraded to facilitate the construction of the project.
“The government will also ensure that residents involved in the construction of the dam receive the necessary assistance such as relocated to new settlement and being paid incentives,“ he said.
Meanwhile, Peter said a bailey bridge would be built across the Sungai Kaiduan to replace the damaged low-level crossing bridge. - Bernama
