On my trip, I had the chance to go to Bintulu and visit a factory with a Malaysian-Chinese man and a Japanese man. The factory is the product of a joint-venture between a Malaysian company and a Japanese one and exists to supply materials to a huge Japanese manufacturing plant. The giant Japanese corporation decided to locate this huge manufacturing plant in the industrial area near Bintulu, at least in part because of the availability of cheap electricity generated by one of the largest hydro-electric dams in the world. This dam was constructed at a huge cost to the Malaysian taxpayer and involved the displacement of groups of indigenous people who lived in areas that needed to be flooded.
The industrial area I visited is pretty new, with only a few major factories in operation. The surrounding area is still being cleared of jungle and the land leveled flat in preparation for construction. There is a contrast between the green of the uncleared areas and the red-orange clay colour of the cleared land. As we drove along the immaculate, long and straight roads, the two Asian businessmen discussed among themselves which pieces of land are better than others. I imagine they had visions of the factories that can be built in these locations...white-washed concrete buildings with steel roofs...flag poles flying flags with company logos...parking spaces with clear white lines on the black tar seal...
I guess nice new factories are impressive and they produce stuff which is useful...probably...but it is a shame that jungle has to be cleared to fit them in. I hope that the indigenous people who lost their homelands are going to be benefiting from this "progress and development" somehow.
