New Law Makes Forest Product Use Illegal

The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly passed an amendment to the state Forest Law in November that makes it a crime to take any forest product out of state lands without a written permit. Considering that the majority of indigenous people live on what the government considers state lands, this will make most of their daily work illegal!

The law is clearly aimed at keeping logging in the hands of a small number of well-connected large companies. Opposition Assemblyman Chiew Chin Sing stated: "Timber resources in the state should be for everybody in Sarawak, and licenses for the harvesting of timber should be [awarded by] open tender to anybody in the state whether he is a native or non-native, a big or small timber company."

Theoretically, taking anything from the forest-fruits, rattan, medicinal herbs, wild game, etc.-would be a criminal activity. The law goes even further, and states that to cultivate, propagate or germinate certain species with high commercial or medicinal value is illegal. Concluded Chiew, "You try to do good and you are fined more than if you do wrong... In the end who will suffer? Only the poor rural folks."

Malaysian NGO's Boycott Timber Certification

The eco-certification system offered by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is one of the best hopes to save the world's remaining forests. Unfortunately, the Malaysian government seems unwilling to make serious concessions that would allow Malaysian timber to be FSC certified.

Malaysia has been working on developing its own national certification scheme, which it hopes will be approved by the FSC, the world's most popular and respected certification system. But in October, 15 non-governmental organizations (NGO's) working with indigenous people in Malaysia announced they would boycott the national certification scheme until the Malaysian government changes its positions.

Their main complaint is that the government shows no respect for indigenous land claims. One basic principle of the FSC is that eco-timber cannot be grown on land stolen from indigenous people, but the proposed Malaysian national certification scheme says nothing about indigenous issues or rights. We hope that the FSC will reject Malaysia's certification system, and that people who buy wood will see through it as well.

Government Orders No New Oil Palm

Has the Malaysian government finally seen the light on the problems of oil palm plantations? In October, Primary Industries Minister Dr. Lim Keng Yaik stated that the Malaysian cabinet has issued a new directive not to increase the acreage covered by oil palm in the country.

Said the Minister, "Over-production of palm oil has resulted in the sharp decline in the price of the commodity as supply has exceeded demand." Indeed, the current price is so low that the oil palm is often left to rot in the fields.

If the government is sincere about this new directive, this is great news for the people of Sarawak. Many indigenous lands are being converted to oil palm plantations where the work is done by illegal immigrants. Thus oil palm leaves indigenous people both landless and unemployed.

Unfortunately, while the Malaysian national government is now paying land owners to convert from oil palm to other uses, the Sarawak state government plans to double and double again the lands covered by this crop. The Primary Industries Minister could only say that he "will discuss with the Sarawak state government, which is a 'late comer' in oil palm, to adhere with the cabinet directive to cease cultivation of the crop."

Building Connections in Indonesia

Until recently, the Borneo Project has worked almost exclusively in the Malaysian part of Borneo. But now we have begun to get involved in Kalimantan on the Indonesian side, thanks to the work of Noriko Toyoda.

Noriko has just spent the last three years in West Kalimantan, first volunteering with Yayasan Dian Tama on sustainable agriculture issues, and then helping create a community development organization, called Riak Bumi. This group works with villages in Danau Sentarum National Park near the Mal-Indo border, helping them manage their natural resources sustainably and attain economic welfare.

Noriko is currently living in the Bay Area and interning with the Borneo Project. Back in Indonesia, Riak Bumi continues to grow and mature, and both Noriko and the Borneo Project plan to continue assisting this promising new organization in the future.

Noriko recently gave a presentation about her experience in Borneo, with a focus on illegal logging problems there. If you missed it, you can see an on-line version containing picture highlights and text descriptions on our website, at: http://www.earthisland.org/borneo/gallery/noriko.html.