AdminIn a significant triumph for Indigenous land rights, timber company Samling has withdrawn several of its concessions from the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS) following persistent resistance from communities in Sarawak. The move comes after years of advocacy by Indigenous groups and environmental NGOs, particularly Save Rivers, in challenging the company’s failure to obtain Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) before conducting logging activities on Native Customary Rights (NCR) lands.
The withdrawal, which was confirmed during a meeting on February 13 between Samling representatives and village leaders from the Gerenai Forest Management Unit (FMU), marks a turning point in the fight for Indigenous land recognition.
The Role of Civil Society and Global Advocacy
Civil society groups played a pivotal role in bringing international attention to the plight of Indigenous communities affected by logging. Through coordinated efforts by Save Rivers, Keruan Organisation, The Borneo Project, and Bruno Manser Fund, campaigns such as ‘Stop the Chop’ pressured national and international certification bodies to scrutinize Malaysia’s timber certification process.
A coalition of NGOs exposed major flaws in the certification system, citing inadequate consultation, disregard for Indigenous land rights, and lack of transparency. “We painstakingly compiled a 100-page dossier detailing years of broken promises and regulatory failures,” said Fiona McAlpine, Communications and Project Manager at The Borneo Project. The dossier, along with widespread global advocacy, ultimately led to Samling’s decision to withdraw.
Indigenous Communities Demand Systemic Change
Despite this major victory, Indigenous communities insist that the struggle is far from over. While Samling’s withdrawal from contested territories is a milestone, communities continue to call for long-term land security and greater recognition of their rights.
Save Rivers Managing Director Celine Lim stressed the need for systemic reform, saying, “The crowd that gathered here today are eager to voice their grievances over systems that rob them of their Indigenous territories. They are jubilant that Samling withdrew their forests and from the logging certification system. What communities now want is a full recognition of their territories.” She further called on the Sarawak government to prevent other companies from entering Indigenous lands without consent.
The withdrawal of Samling’s forest concessions has also led to questions about future land use. “If only I were able to speak in Malay, I would go and tell them we just do not want any logging activities in our forests anymore,” said Uring, a resident of Lepo’ Gah Tanjung Tepalit.
A Call for Business Accountability and Future Environmental Protection
The implications of this victory extend beyond Sarawak. The Netherlands’ Timber Procurement Assessment Committee (TPAC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) are now scrutinizing Malaysia’s timber industry, which may influence future European timber procurement policies.
Save Rivers and other advocacy groups are also urging the Malaysian government to enact stronger laws protecting Indigenous communities from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) and to integrate the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) into national legislation.
As for Samling, the company has announced a shift from logging to carbon projects. However, environmental groups remain skeptical, warning that such projects often marginalize Indigenous communities under the guise of conservation.
While this victory marks a significant step forward, activists stress that vigilance is necessary to ensure sustainable land protection and prevent future exploitation. As Fiona McAlpine aptly put it, “These marginalized remote Indigenous communities, along with small grassroots NGOs, haven’t just slayed a corporate giant, they have reshaped the landscape of environmental justice in Sarawak.”
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