What: Rapid expansion of native forest logging by Borneoland Timber Resources, moving toward the territory of Long Semiyang — an Indigenous Kenyah village on the Baram River in Sarawak.
Where: Long Semiyang is located in the Upper Baram region of Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo.
When: Borneoland Timber Resources has been operating northwest of this area for nearly two years. Satellite data and drone footage confirm that deforestation is accelerating, with expansion pushing steadily closer to Long Semiyang’s territory.
Who: The logging is being carried out by Borneoland Timber Resources. The company’s timber license — covering more than 170,000 hectares — was obtained without public tender, and Borneoland continues to operate without sustainable timber certification, despite Sarawak now requiring certification for all timber licenses. Borneoland’s operations in the area have already drawn significant opposition. Neighboring Penan communities have filed complaints, launched protests, and pursued a judicial review against the company. There have also been reports of intimidation against community members who have spoken out. Logging is proceeding without the free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) of the communities whose land is at stake.
Why it matters: Nearby communities have already seen their rivers polluted and farms destroyed. Long Semiyang is next in line. The community’s food systems, water sources, and land rights are under direct and immediate threat from an operator that has no certification, no consent from this community, and no apparent accountability.
What communities are calling for: Seven Baram communities stand united against the company, including Long Semiyang’s neighboring Kenyah communities and the Selungo Penan. In March, they sent a letter to the Forest Department Sarawak and the Premier Abang Johari, making clear their rejection of all logging on their ancestral lands. They are yet to receive any response.
Long Semiyang is calling on Borneoland Timber Resources to halt operations immediately and respect their land rights. Borneoland must cease all logging activity in and around Long Semiyang’s territory, engage in genuine FPIC-compliant consultation with affected communities, and obtain proper sustainable timber certification before any further operations.