Friday, 11 June 2021, 6:00 am
Civil society groups call for a moratorium on logging
in affected areas until the dispute can be resolved, and for
environmental and social impact assessments to be released
immediately.
(MIRI, SARAWAK/MALAYSIA) In May 2021,
Indigenous Penan, Kenyah and Jamok communities from
Sarawak’s Upper Limbang and Baram regions filed complaints
with the Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) over
alleged flaws in the certification of two logging
concessions by MTCC, a timber certification scheme endorsed
by the global PEFC standard.
Last week, the Gerenai
Community Rights Action Committee (GCRAC) and Penan advocacy
group Keruan were informed that the communities’
3 June 2021, Miri, Sarawak - We refer to the post published on Scoop official website on 20th May 2021 titled “Indigenous Communities Lodge Official Complaint Against Malaysian Timber Giant Samling”. The article was based on a post on the Bruno Manser .
by Danielle Keeton-Olsen on 18 February 2021
Under Malaysia’s federal system, state governments hold authority over most regulations regarding land usage and environmental protection.
In the Bornean states of Sabah and Sarawak, home to most of Malaysia’s remaining intact forests, politicians push against perceived interference from the central government, particularly when it comes to resource management.
Since the late 1960s, Malaysian Borneo lost much of its forest: first to timber and later to palm oil and other agricultural industries.
Both states have laws on the books aimed at protecting and managing forests, as well as sustainable forestry and palm oil certification schemes. Experts on forest management and conservation see cause for both optimism and skepticism.
Mountain
Batu Siman within the park
The
International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) has
endorsed the proposal for the Upper Baram Forest Area, also
known as the Baram Peace Park. The proposal has the dual
goals of forest conservation and sustainable development and
was developed by the Sarawak Forest Department with inputs
from local communities and civil society. During their 56th
session in November, the International Tropical Timber
Council officially approved the proposal that was formally
submitted by the Malaysian
government.
Peter Kallang, chairman of
Indigenous organisation SAVE Rivers, stressed the importance
of the ITTO’s endorsement: “The communities welcome the