The GPS state government is plainly seeking to jump onto the carbon credit bandwagon, proclaiming alleged green policies.
At the same time it is maximising the opportunities provided by a weak federal government by trumpeting its demand for total autonomy over all environmental policies.
However, to sustain such a programme and attract outside green investment takes credible governance.
If proposals are being put forward under, for example, the December 2022 Forest Ordinance for carbon credit reforestation and conservation schemes, you cannot at the same time be exposed for doing nothing about rampant illegal logging elsewhere in the state.
Yet, time and again, messages are coming in from local communities and activists across Sarawak that this is going on across the state. Radio Free Sarawak, the long-term online native affairs programme, has received yet another such report in the past week where illegal logging has been pointed out to the police who refused to respond.
A former pastor, Robert Muyang from Sebauh, Bintulu filed a police report some days ago having discovered rampant and apparently unlicensed logging in his area of Ulu Sebau.
There was no apparent authority figure on site as a gang of Indonesian workers had been left unsupervised to tear down trees. Those workers were unwilling to disclose who their employers are or what licence they purport to be acting under.
Further exploration revealed widespread pillage and damage. The local longhouse community affected by the encroachment appeared cowed when the activist enquired about the situation.
“The number of people is very small and they are afraid to speak up and act to defend against the entry of the logging company”, he told Radio Free Sarawak.
However, the police in this case have not been helpful so far. When he made the report they took no action except to question him as to what evidence he has that this is NCR land and that he is himself an affected party?
It seems the police have not seen fit to investigate whether this logging is under a proper licence or to notify the Forestry Department, which has also so far done absolutely nothing.
Returning to the site, the pastor discovered that the destruction is going on as before – apparent illegal logging being conducted by foreign workers on behalf of a mystery employer on native Sarawak lands.
What protection is the state government, ruling party, administrative apparatus and police therefore providing the people of Sarawak and their environment in this and numerous other similar reported cases?
Good governance is the underpinning of a credible green agenda and no outward investor can sensibly commit to green conservation projects in a state that makes no resp0nse at all to credible and documented reports of illegal logging – or where local communities are being bribed or intimidated into silence on such matters.
