The state government's announcement of a man-made lake in the RM115 billion Gaur Eco City project in Kota Belud follows its pre-election decision to abandon construction of the contentious Tambatuon dam.

KOTA KINABALU: Kota Belud does not need a dam. And camouflaging a dam under the guise of a man-made lake is not only irresponsible but manipulative and misleading, said local NGO Himpunan Hijau.

Said its chief Wong Tack: Why do we need a man-made lake? It is a dam that theyre talking about. We dont need a dam in Kota Belud.

They are using the term man-made lake to mislead and to manipulate the people.

Wong Tat said the whole concept of building a RM115 billion Gaur Eco-City in Kota Belud was questionable.

You can see quite clearly here, this is a project that was proposed without a proper study, without consulting the people, without looking at the concept as a whole at regional and also as a state.

Eco development is basically you working with nature without destruction and in a sustainable manners. It should not just bring benefits to the people of this generation but future generations as well, he said.

Wong said the project will threaten the existing natural forest and asked why such project was being sited at foothill of Mount Kinabalu.

According to the proposal, the envisaged eco-city will boast various facilities which will all be linked with a cable car system. An integrated transport including a monorail will be built around the man-made lake reminiscent of Venice in Italy. The lake will be dotted with hotels, housing, hospital and a golf course.

Responding to the proposed development, Wong tack asked where in the plan was the eco and sustainable concept.

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A dam by any other name is still a dam