There is no internet access in Baram. The natives do not read newspapers and few own a television set. There is also no mobile network access. The natives of Baram live in complete information isolation.
Information is spread through word-of-mouth and this is how they know about the Baram dam proposal and the suffering of their fellow natives in the Bakun dam area.
Most of the residents in Baram were the loyal supporters of the Barisan National government. However lately, most of them started to have a change of mind. Especially when the opposition parties and certain local NGOs have started to approach them, providing information from outside their native world. This has reduced their support for the BN government. Some are rejecting the government outright.
Malaysiakini visited one of the long houses which could be affected by the Baram dam project, Long Selawan.
To cater to an increasing population, they had started to build now long houses. However, due to the insufficient resources and materials, construction work is slow. So, the residents are worried their efforts to build new long houses will be a waste of effort and money, if the dam were to be built and the whole village flooded.
Camera/Editing: Tan Jiun Wuu
