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Transparency and Legality: Halt the logging encroachment in Long Pilah, Baram

  • Publication Date | July 14, 2015
  • Document Type | Media Statement
  • Programmes | Forests & Biodiversity
  • Issues | Indigenous Peoples, Land Rights, Logging
  • Tags | Baram, customary territory, legality, Long Pilah, NCR, Sarawak Permanent Forest Estate, transparency
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SAM would like to express its grave concern on the logging encroachment that has taken place since March this year in the customary territory of Long Pilah, Sungai Jahek, in Baram. We therefore would like to state our support to the open letter from the Long Pilah residents addressed to the Chief Minister of Sarawak dated July 14.

In the past year or so, the Chief Minister of Sarawak has repeatedly stated his stance on the urgent need for the timber industry in Sarawak to operate in accordance with the law and more responsibly. The Chief Minister has even announced the halting of the issuance of new logging licences in the state. Unfortunately however, the story of Long Pilah seems to carry the same old tone. 

Of particular interest to us is how the open letter describes the utter lack of information disclosure to the affected communities. Confused on the actual status of the harvesting licence and unclear on the outcome of the Forests Department’s investigation on the legality of the operation, the people alleged that their attempt to gather more official information was directly denied by the Department with the untenable excuse that such information is considered as sensitive. 

Why exactly does information on the beneficiaries of the logging industry need to be hidden from public view? This lack of transparency, which has long plagued the timber industry in the country, is a systemic failure in governance. 

We are indeed not surprised at the failure of the Long Pilah residents in obtaining information on the status of the logging operations in their customary territory. In 2008, even our attempts to request for maps and information on the Sarawak Permanent Forest Estate failed to obtain a favourable response. Meanwhile, our requests for information on logging concession details were also rejected in 2011. 

Further, the villagers are right to question on the legality of the operations, regardless of the fact as to whether the operations are sanctioned by a valid licence. After all, the Malaysian judiciary has ruled that the indigenous customary land rights are in fact proprietary rights, not unlike the documentary land title. Further, the legitimacy of such rights can only be determined through indigenous customs. Modern law is only relevant to ascertain if the rights have been extinguished at any point of time. 

However, the state has thus far failed to introduce any policy or legislative reforms in order to align them with such judicial findings. This governance inaction raises the question as to whether it is lawful for states to continue issuing licences for resource extractive activities on indigenous customary territories, without the consent of affected communities. In short, without the appropriate reforms, the legal impeccability of Malaysian timber products may continue to be questionable. 

We therefore urge the Chief Minister to take the necessary actions to halt the logging operations within the Long Pilah customary land and to drop the charge against Ajeng Jok who is only trying to protect his community rights. Information on the ownership and status of the harvesting licence and the outcome of the investigation by the Forests Department must be made public, as with other information on forestry matters and the licensing of logging and plantation activities in Sarawak. Further, the appropriate message must be sent to signal that the use of gangs and other harassment tactics to intimidate affected villagers into silence does not have a place in this country. Last but not least, we urge for the appropriate policy and legal reforms to be undertaken in Sarawak in order to ensure that they are aligned with judicial findings on the indigenous customary land rights.

S. M.  Mohamed Idris

President

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Testimonials

Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah satu badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) yang telah sekian lama berjuang mempertahan kelestarian alam. Ia juga mendidik masyarakat tentang pentingnya kebersamaan dalam pemikiran dan tindakan agar alam ini dapat kita wariskan kepada generasi hadapan dalam keadaan yang elok dan terpelihara. Dalam pada itu juga SAM giat membantu golongan nelayan pantai dalam memperjuangkan hak-hak mereka sehinggalah tertubuhnya Persatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING). Nelayan pantai sepenuh masa ini dididik oleh SAM sehingga mereka mampu memainkan peranan sebagai pemimpin nelayan yang meneruskan kesinambungan memperjuangkan hak-hak nelayan pantai lainnya. Sebagai contoh SAM telah berjaya menyedarkan masyarakat nelayan keperluan menjaga hutan paya bakau untuk kebaikan hasil tangkapan nelayan itu sendiri.
Jamaluddin Mohamad Bualik
Jamaluddin Mohamad BualikPersatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Jaringan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING)
During the 1980s, I used to read about the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) in the news. After retirement, some time in 2001, while lazing around, I read news about the construction of a carbon in leach plant using sodium cyanide to extract gold in Bukit Koman. My friends and I visited CAP and we were introduced to SAM and her legal team. We discussed the details of filing a case against the gold mining company and the department of environment with Ms Meenakshi Raman and her legal team. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between lawyers from SAM and many of us from Bukit Koman. We had many ups and downs in our struggle to shut down the gold mine that was causing a nuisance in our village. But, as a community we never gave up because SAM had our backs.
Hue Fui How
Hue Fui HowSecretary, Bukit Koman Ban Cyanide in Goldmining Action Committee (BCAC)
Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah sebuah NGO yang memperjuangkan nasib masyarakat luar bandar khasnya. SAM menerima aduan-aduan masyarakat dan menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi. SAM telah mewujudkan ramai aktivis-aktivis sosial dan alam sekitar. Pada era 1980 dan 90an SAM sangat dihormati oleh masyarakat dan agensi kerajaan. Apabila media sosial menguasai maklumat maka SAM pun terkesan dan masalah masyarakat terus disalurkan dengan pelbagai cara. SAM perlu mewujudkan aktivis-aktivis pelapis yang muda untuk terus membantu masyarakat. SAM juga perlu membuat perubahan supaya banyak turun kelapangan dan jangan mengharapkan laporan media sahaja. Tingkatkan prestasi sebagaimana pada zaman kegemilangan SAM di era 80-90an.
Che Ani Mt Zain
Che Ani Mt Zain
SAM taught me the importance of social activism and the role it plays in upholding the rights of people and the protection of the environment. In my experience, SAM has never hesitated to speak up in defence of people and their environment, and has gone the extra mile to champion their rights, by helping communities take their battles to the higher ups and even to the courts.
Jessica Binwani
Jessica BinwaniPublic/Private Interest Lawyer
Semenjak kami kenal SAM, banyak pengalaman dan pengetahuan yg kami dapat. Kami telah belajar cara membuat baja asli daripada SAM. Semenjak itu, bermulalah minat kami dalam aktiviti pertanian. Dengan memperolehi kemahiran dalam membuat baja asli dan penanaman lestari, kami juga telah dapat menambahkan pendapatan sampingan kami. Ini lebih baik daripada tanah kami terbiar dan tidak diusahakan. Terima kasih SAM kerana sudi memberi bantuan dan tunjuk ajar kepada Persatuan kami.
Chedo Anak Nyuwen
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My journey with SAM started when her community organisers took me to the meet the paddy farmers of Kedah, connecting my growing interest in environmental law with our people who struggle to work the land in the face of pollution, replacement of traditional seeds with commercial hybrids and their accompanying chemical package of fertilisers and weedicides. I then had the honour to work with SAM in the struggle for the rights of the native communities of Sarawak, in defence of their forests from massive logging and destructive mega-projects. In every issue that SAM takes up, she combines rigorous research with the realities and voices of the communities to advocate for policies and laws that care for people and nature. From the courts to the elected legislators to policy makers and implementers and to the United Nations, SAM walks side by side with the communities in Malaysia. How can I not be inspired by the vision and passion of the generations of women and men who coalesce to form SAM?
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Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Headquarters)
No. 1, Jalan Joki, 11400 Penang,
Malaysia
Tel: +604 827 6930
Fax: +604 827 6932

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Marudi Office)
129A, First Floor,
Jalan Tuanku Taha,
P.O.Box 216,
98058 Marudi, Baram, Sarawak,
Malaysia
Tel & Fax: +6085 758 973

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