The ITTO (International Tropical Timber Organisation) and Sarawak Forestry Department have turned a deaf ear to complaints by NGOs and native communities about illegitimate logging in the conservation zone – the Penan Peace Park in Baram – funded by international donations and supposedly sponsored by both bodies. Last week the Immigration Dept raided the logging camp that turns out to have been operated by the state government crony Hii family and found at least 10 illegal immigrants working illegally ….

YB Snowdan Lawan and his GPS colleagues must start by naming and shaming those behind the Balai Ringin disaster and opening a full open inquiry into how it was allowed to happen….

Allegedly, onlookers are wowed and impressed by Sarawak’s ‘green’ policies, including for hydrogen, tree planting, carbon capture and the rest. Yet, right now, what is going on is not green in the least. Less greed and more genuine concern for good governance is needed to drive these plans…….

Native communities in Sarawak, whose lands are immeasurably more valuable in terms of biodiversity than elsewhere on the planet, should take note of what is going on in the United States…….

Local people are being thrown off their agricultural land in order to allegedly expand national parks while, at the same time, genuine forest pledged for conservation is still being left open to timber raiders. As ever, the Sarawak State Government is at the service of the logging tycoons whilst playing only lip service to the desperate current battle to save our human habitat…..

Is it so very surprising that the dirt poor native people, who receive so little from Sarawak’s huge investment budget in the rural areas, are starting to tear down concrete, set up blockades and stand up to plantation owners to make their point?……