Letter to Premier and Ministers alleges contraventions of Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil standards, land rights, and lease conditions
The Penan and Kenyah Indigenous communities of Long Urun, Belaga have issued an urgent call to the Sarawak Premier, key state department heads, and the federal Minister of Plantation and Commodities to immediately halt large-scale forest clearing by Urun Plantations Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Sin Heng Chan Malaya Bhd.
In a formal letter sent this week, the communities detail how bulldozers have been clearing native forest since late 2023, in direct contravention of Malaysia’s own “no deforestation” rules for the palm oil sector. The clearing has continued despite multiple community actions, including a court injunction, blockades, a petition, reports to the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), and a formal complaint to the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Board.
The letter alleges that:
- The clearing breaches the MSPO standard, which prohibits the conversion of natural forest to oil palm after 31 December 2019.
- Urun Plantations has failed to meet conditions of its Provisional Lease, first issued in 1997, and is clearing forest after the required timeframe has expired.
- Areas of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land are being taken without the communities’ free, prior, and informed consent.
“For generations, these forests have been our source of food, clean water, medicine, cultural identity, and livelihoods,” the letter states. “We urge you to act quickly, as every day of delay brings irreversible loss to our environment and our culture.”
Community members say the company has used police intimidation and dismantled their peaceful blockade twice since December 2024. Five villagers have been arrested.
The communities are calling for:
- An immediate halt to all clearing by Urun Plantations pending an independent investigation.
- A government investigation into potential breaches of MSPO standards, Provisional Lease conditions, and state and federal laws.
- Recognition and protection of NCR lands, and no further development without free, prior, and informed consent.
- Public release of all Provisional Lease maps, demarcation records, and environmental impact assessments.
“This is not just a local issue,” warns Celine Lim, director of SAVE Rivers. “It is a test of Sarawak’s and Malaysia’s credibility on the global stage.”
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