Bruno Manser Fonds
Heuberg 25
4051 Basel
Switzerland
phone +41 61 261 94 74
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updated 2001-01-31
Sarawak, 1993
The rough road to achieving biodiversity conservation in north-eastern Sarawak
By Bruno-Manser-Fonds
In 1993 the Sarawak government decided to protect 1688 km2 of forest in Lanjak Entimau (Western Sarawak) as a wildlife sanctuary with support of the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and the local population. Based on this positive and productive partnership, Sarawak and Swiss foresters worked together on a similar but much more ambitious project in Eastern Sarawak and submitted the proposal to the Sarawak Authorities in early 1998.
This proposal is of local and global interest, as it links already existing National Parks and Nature Reserves in Brunei, Sarawak and Kalimantan (Indonesia) to the largest Biosphere-Area in the whole of South-East-Asia, covering 23,489 km2 of forest and forest land that spans across three States in the interior of Borneo. Over 70% of the area has already been legally put under some kind of protection, though large parts of this area are only protected on paper (e.g. Pulong Tau and Magoh area in Sarawak). The proposed extended protected area, buffer zones and sustainable forest management areas in Sarawak includes: large parts of steep mountain forest (not suitable for logging); the last remnants of dipterocarp virgin forest in the region (some of which is slated for protection by the government); - as well as some logged off and secondary forest areas. With the commitment of neighboring countries, the area could still be enlarged to include some endemic bio-regions of Sabah and protected areas nearby to the total project area (the Batu Apoi-Forest Reserve in Brunei, 462 km2, and of the Sembakung Extension in Kalimantan, 5000 km2).
The ultimate goal of the project is to create a win-win project in the long-term for all stakeholders, including local people living in Eastern Sarawak, the Government of Sarawak and logging companies. When Bruno-Manser-Fonds was approached to comment on the proposal we were very critical that once more, indigenous peoples like the Penan, may be the losers again. However, we support the project's aim: to protect intact virgin forest within the area for biodiversity conservation and to promote the wise use of non-timber-products by the Penan and others. This in conjunction with the implementation of sustainable timber extraction in degraded areas to bring added income to the state and all concerned parties.
The project idea has gained support from Malaysian citizens, e.g. the former Director of the ITTO and the former President to the United Nations General Assembly. Even the Sarawak Timber Association (STA) recognized the importance of the project proposal. For the implementation of the project, a substantial financial commitment has already been made, which exceeded any prior grant financing in Sarawak. The World Bank, the US-Government, the Swiss Government and Japan have also shown interest in making financial contributions to the realization of the project.
In April 1998 the Swiss Ambassador to Malaysia accepted an invitation by the Sarawak Government to promote the project idea, supported by many both within and outside Malaysia. The delegation was warmly received by the Chief Minister of Sarawak, who recognized the importance of biodiverstiy conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in the proposed project area.
However, the project did not go any step further since then. Why? Essentially because one man objected: Sarawak State Secretary HAMID BUGO! As a result, today, nearly two years after the launch of the project idea, nothing has happened at all, and the forests are depleted in an even higher rate than before.
The reasons why Hamid Bugo is against biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of forest resources as promoted through this project is not known. Perhaps the Chief Minister of Sarawak has an answer, as to why he has not yet made a clear decision in favor of the people of Sarawak, who suffer from the negative impacts of destructive logging, such as landslides, pollution, local climate change, floods, droughts and forest-fires. It seems that a unique opportunity for the well-being of many is beeing foregone for the special interests of some. The press and Malaysian citizens should demand answers.