BELAGA: Natives from the Penan and Kenyah communities in the Long Urun locality of Belaga, central Sarawak, are appealing to state and federal government leaders to intervene and stop a large-scale land clearing operation by an oil palm company. The affected communities, numbering in the thousands, have sought help from two native-environmental rights groups, Save Rivers Network and The Borneo Project, to bring attention to their situation.
Save Rivers Network director Celine Lim stated that aerial photographs show extensive destruction of forests, which are classified as Native Customary Rights land. According to Lim, the Penan and Kenyah communities are witnessing large portions of their communal forests being bulldozed and cleared by the plantation company’s workers. She describes these actions as blatant trespassing and deforestation.
Despite protests from the native communities, the destruction, which began in 2023, has continued to worsen. Lim mentioned that five villagers were recently arrested by police during a protest.
In a press statement, Lim appealed to both state and federal politicians, including the Minister for Commodities and Primary Industries, to intervene. She argued that such cases of human rights violations and forest destruction damage the image of both Sarawak and Malaysia.
Lim further emphasized that these “blatant land grabs” are a violation of indigenous rights and harmful to the natural environment. She urged Sarawak and Malaysia to address these issues to demonstrate their commitment to protecting minority interests and the environment. Lim also called on the Malaysian Palm Oil Board to conduct an on-the-ground investigation into the Long Urun case.
Long Urun is approximately a 10-hour journey from the town of Bintulu, with half of the travel time on rugged, mountainous roads.