Logging Conflict Escalates in Sarawak as Penan Take a Stand

Indigenous community’s blockade against logging operations in Ba Olé Sarawak’s Upper Baram region

As Malaysian timber group Borneoland Timber Resources strips 4,000 tons of timber each month from protected forest, Indigenous communities have responded with blockades to defend their land. Indigenous Penan communities in Sarawak’s Upper Baram region have recently set up blockades against large-scale logging activities by Borneoland Timber Resources Sdn Bhd...

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Penan Launch Court Action to Stop Logging

Protest against logging in Baram

Penan communities from Malaysian Borneo challenge large-scale logging operation in Sarawak’s Upper Baram region  In a claim for judicial review filed in the High Court of Sarawak and Sabah, Penan community representatives call for the recall of a 170,000 hectare timber licence granted to Borneoland Timber Resources Sdn Bhd (Borneoland),...

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New MSPO Complaint Filed Against Urun Plantations 

Indigenous communities allege oil palm expansion without consent, deforestation, and environmental harm BELAGA, SARAWAK – Indigenous Penan and Kenyah communities from the Upper Belaga River have lodged a formal complaint against Urun Plantations Sdn. Bhd., alleging violations of the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) standards. The complaint, supported by detailed...

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FSC Latest: Investigation Finds Samling Guilty of Illegal Logging

Logging trucks Baram region Samling

Almost three years after complaint submission by civil society, Forest Stewardship Council validates allegations against Malaysian logging giant [SARAWAK / MALAYSIA] – The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the world’s leading forest and timber certification body, has confirmed that Malaysian timber company Samling illegally harvested timber within a National Park and...

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The Borneo Brief Q1 2025

During the start of 2025 there were a lot of developments for Indigenous and environmental rights in Sarawak. Join Jettie Word from The Borneo Project and Celine Lim from SAVE Rivers to discuss the latest...

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Malaysia: New Business Plan Should Be Enforceable

Ensure Rights Protections for Indigenous Peoples (Miri) – Malaysia should move swiftly to strengthen its proposed National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights by ensuring that its key provisions are enforceable, a coalition of three Indigenous, human rights, and environmental groups said today in responding to the Malaysian government’s draft plan. Priorities...

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Reforestation as destruction in Sarawak

Young eucalyptus tree growing where forests once stood at the Lana Plantation, Sarawak

This article was originally published at Green Agenda Australia In Sarawak, eucalyptus plantations are replacing biodiverse forests under the guise of “reforestation”. Indigenous communities fight to protect their lands while Australia continues to import timber grown on stolen territories. When I think back to the Black Summer of 2019-2020, I...

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Support for Marudi Indigenous communities affected by forest carbon project

Community members hold a sign that says "kami tolak projek karbon masuk dalam wilayah ncr kami"

This joint statement was originally published by Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) and SAVE Rivers. Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) and SAVE Rivers, express their solidarity with the indigenous communities from Logan Entasan, Lobang Kompeni and Sungai Brit who are affected by the Marudi Forest Conservation and Restoration Project.  The two organisations thoroughly support the communities’ rejection of this...

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Indigenous Baram communities celebrate timber company’s withdrawal from their lands

a group of community members gathers around the MTCC and PEFC delegation

Indigenous communities in Sarawak win a landmark victory as the Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) and international timber certifier visit Sarawak to inspect timber operations. [SARAWAK / MALAYSIA] – In a major victory for Indigenous communities defending their customary lands, Samling has withdrawn several of its timber concessions from the...

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How Baram Communities Stopped the Chop 

This article was originally published by Eco-Business Asia For years, Indigenous communities in Sarawak fought against logging on their lands. Today, they can claim a rare victory: timber giant Samling has withdrawn from Baram’s forests, and may well have withdrawn from logging native forests for good. Indigenous communities in the...

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