Many consumers want to make responsible choices when it comes to their purchases, but sometimes it’s hard to know what the safer, more ethical choice is. Certification schemes are a tool that many people (understandably) use to help them make those choices. Unfortunately, the credibility of these schemes is not...
Our new report is titled “Lost in Certification: How forest certification greenwashes Samling’s dirty timber and fools the international market”. It is a comprehensive analysis of the most recent land conflicts in the Baram region of Sarawak. It looks at the most shocking community claims against logging company Samling and...
Amid new official reports that confirm community claims, civil society calls for SIRIM to cancel timber giant Samling’s MTCS certificate for the Gerenai Forest Management Unit in Baram (MIRI / BARAM / SARAWAK) This week, five civil society and community organisations called on SIRIM QAS International Sdn to revoke the...
In 2018, the Minister of Primary Industries of Malaysia Teresa Kok made a pledge that no forest would be cleared for new palm oil production in the country. In 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah reiterated the same commitment in response to a new EU law that aims to ban the...
SAVE Rivers shocked as timber company uses its chairman’s name on webpage about community engagement in apparent attempt to enhance its image (MIRI / BARAM / SARAWAK) Local civil society organization SAVE Rivers was shocked to see their chairman’s name on Samling’s website in a description apparently intended to strengthen...
The Penan villages of Long Lamai and Ba Lai refuse to participate in the ongoing forest certification process and ask timber giant Samling to respect their territories (LONG LAMAI & BA LAI / BARAM / SARAWAK) The Penan communities of Long Lamai and Ba Lai have expressed their complete rejection...
While international experts and civil society discuss best practices for impact assessments at the ongoing IAIA conference in Kuching, FSC launches investigation into Samling’s “unacceptable activities” in Sarawak (KUCHING, MALAYSIA / BONN, GERMANY) This week, the Forest Stewardship Council FSC officially accepted a complaint against Malaysian timber giant Samling filed...
Communities from Upper Baram Forest Area welcome steps taken to realize the project, and hand over declaration to Forest Department Sarawak and International Tropical Timber Organization On March 20th in Kuching, Indigenous representatives participated in the Upper Baram Forest Area meeting with the Forest Department Sarawak and a representative from...
Interested in a remarkable experience in Sarawak far from the regular tourist track? Thinking about volunteering? Here are our recommendations Can I come volunteer with The Borneo Project? Many people around the world reach out to us asking if they can volunteer and spend some time in the field. Unfortunately...
Contrary to Dennis Ngau’s claims, local organizations highlight widespread opposition to logging in the Ulu Baram (Miri/Sarawak/Malaysia) On 8th March, Free Malaysia Today published a report quoting Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau as saying that logging poses no threat to Indigenous communities in the Baram. Ngau told FMT that, “After...
