An aerial photograph taken during the British colonial period near Ba Main, Sarawak. (Australian War Memorial) Much has changed in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo since 1958. The state has celebrated nearly 70 years of independence from colonial rule, its population has more than doubled, and its cities have evolved from small...
What’s happening? Numerous forest and peatland fires are raging across Sumatra and Sarawak, with heavy smoke drifting into Malaysia and Singapore. Many of these fires are linked to land cleared for monoculture plantations such as oil palm and timber, but they are also affecting other vulnerable areas – including natural...
The Borneo Project has spent the last 35 years standing alongside Indigenous communities in Sarawak, Malaysia, defending rainforests, resisting destructive development, and advocating for Indigenous rights. This critical work is made possible entirely through the shared commitment of our donors: a powerful community of supporters, partners, and allies who believe...
A member of the Penan Indigenous community from Ba Data Bila in Upper Baram has issued urgent protest letters to Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg and the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), demanding an immediate halt to ongoing logging operations by Borneoland Timber Resources. (Ba Data Bila, Sarawak)...
Sarawak NGO Keruan and Swiss-based NGO Bruno Manser Fonds call for the immediate release of two Indigenous Penan from Sarawak, Malaysia, following their arrest by police on June 28th, 2025. On June 28th, two Penan from Long Tepen were arrested by forestry officals. The men were resting with a friend...
June, 2025 Dear Friends, The relentless pace of news in the US can overwhelm me at times. In these moments, I’m so grateful to be able to turn to our work in Sarawak and reflect on the impressive impact our campaigns and advocacy have had. When I take a breath...
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...
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),...
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...
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...
