At least five villages in Keningau, Sabah are massively damaged  by eroding river banks in Sungai Pegalan (Pegalan River). According to the people, one of the reason could be a river-sand mining activities. It was informed that the Sungai Pegalan is reserved for agricultural activities only.

The eroding process is becoming faster, and the size of the river is becoming bigger over time. Acres of paddy fields owned by the villagers were flooded before, and now already being “eaten away” by the river. These poor villagers lost their livestocks to the flood. The paddy fields were once the sole source of their income, but now they have to find other means to support their families. Many of the villagers who owned lands near the river have sold them due to the uncontrollable situations at Sungai Pegalan .

The river bank erosion has now extended to a small stream called "Tororobou" which is just a few meters away from my siblings' residence and their man-made fish ponds. Other villagers are in constant fear as some of them are living just meters away from the river, and they are counting days of what and when disasters will struck them and their properties.

I remember when we were small, we used to have the best time swimming in it, followed by the most delicious picnic lunch with “bintanok” (steamed banana) prepared by our mother. The once beautiful and heavenly Sungai Pegalan is now the most dangerous place for everyone.

The extraction of the rest of the raw materials in the river needs to stop URGENTLY, and immediate action needs to be taken to stop the erosion of the river bank and to stop the river flows into the “Tororobou”. Hundreds of people who live in at least five villages, namely Kg. Baginda, Kg. Tigot, Kg. Kota Ayangan , Kg.Toboh Laut, and Kg. Tuarid Taud are affected with this incident. Please support us!