Some of these alleged sex slaves have been frantically sending SMSes and calling reporters from The Star newspaper for help to escape from these gangsters.

The women claimed to be living in fear. 'Pls sir help us,' ran one of the SMSes, which added that the women were afraid to defy the gangsters after finding a grave with a crossed-stake driven into it.

Yesterday, The Star quoted sources as saying that Bakun's sex trade involves an intricate network of urban gangsters and mobile vice syndicates.

The report said some 2,000 people are working at the 60,000ha Bakun site, which is about the size of Singapore.

Sarawak Police Commissioner Talib Jamal said police had evidence that vice-trade operators had brought foreign women in to 'service' workers in the area.

It is not known how many women are involved but sources said the prostitutes are moved around in vans and four-wheel-drive vehicles to the various 'entertainment centres', which also cater to workers in nearby timber and oil palm plantations.

Last Tuesday, police arrested a pimp and 10 women from Indonesia, the Philippines and China in Bintulu town, near Bakun.

Sources told The Star that villagers living nearby had known about the sex trade since 1996 when the Bakun project started.

'No one dared to speak up because there are gangsters involved,' said one source.

The sex trade involved a complicated network which originates from outside Bakun. Gangsters from urban centres like Bintulu and Miri would source for the prostitutes and liaise with their partners at the dam site.

'Certain people, working in supervisory levels in sub-contracts and contracts in the Bakun area, would then arrange for these girls to have sex with the workers at specific places and at specific times of the month,' one source said.

It is learnt that the state and federal police are trying to trace the source of the desperate appeals for help.

Bakun residents had complained previously to their local political representatives about the presence of these foreign women and foreign labourers.

Environmental watchdog and community rights group, Borneo Resources Institute, said state and federal police should act faster on the complaints.

The Star/Asia News Network