Enforcement officers inspects a pile of logs. – File photo
MIRI (June 4): Samling Group has refuted the allegations of two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) of wrongdoing in managing two logging concessions in Sarawak, the Gerenai and Ravenscourt forest management units (FMUs).
The company said in a statement that the allegations by Bruno Manser Fonds (BMF) and Borneo Project, which also calls into question the Malaysian Timber Certification Council’s (MTCC) certification of the FMUs, were “false and lacked any shred of credibility or truth”.
“The allegations have not only tarnished unfairly Samling’s image but have also brought into serious question the good reputations of both MTCC and of the certifying body, SIRIM QAS International Sdn Bhd.
“Additionally, the allegations belittle the value of forest management certification and the
integrity of the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC),” it said, referring to a report, ‘NGOs: Complaints lodged over certification of two logging concessions’, on The Borneo Post’s website on May 21.
It pointed out that the allegations had been repeated despite clarification by MTCC in a paper on August 13 last year, stating that Samling had satisfactorily fulfilled all the requisite certification requirements.
Samling reiterated that the certification process for the Gerenai and Ravenscourt FMUs was done in accordance with all requirements of the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme’s Malaysian Criteria & Indicators, which have been endorsed by the Programme for the Enforcement of Forest Certification (PEFC), and were therefore compliant with international certification standards.
Part of this certification process involved the submission of third party Economic Impact
Assessment (EIA) and Social Impact Assessment (SIA) reports, it said.
It added that the EIA was under the purview of the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) of Sarawak and not Samling, and it was the board’s requirement that part of the EIA report must be put up for public display in the FMUs’ offices.
The findings of the SIA, it said, were communicated to the communities – usually by the consultant responsible for the assessment either by a visit to an individual community or at a meeting held for a group of communities.
“Contrary to what was alleged in the BMF post, Samling has not received any formal request to share neither the EIA Report nor the SIA report. Thus, to allege that Samling has refused to release these reports is totally untrue, and to say they were not made available to the communities is also incorrect.
“This practice of lobbing baseless accusation after baseless accusation without any regard for truth or fact, is a practice that is unfortunate,” it said.
It added that groundless accusations do little good for the communities the NGOs purport to support, and could cause damage to the processes that have been put in place by Samling for the upliftment of the communities involved.
Samling said it valued constructive engagement with the communities and had carried out numerous community engagements on its own initiative.
It said its own internal Standard Operating Procedures involve direct and comprehensive
engagement between the Group’s liaison officers and the local communities to ensure there
was full understanding and agreement of any proposed harvesting activity in areas that lie close to or overlap with community lands recognised under the law.
“This is done before the start of any harvesting operations and holds true also for the Gerenai and Ravenscourt FMUs,” it said.
Samling said it respects the community’s dependence on forest produce and has neither denied the importance of the forest to their livelihood nor wilfully caused damage to forests that are used by the communities as food sources.
It said it also believed in the empowerment of local communities so that they can discern for themselves their rights and the responsibilities of the Samling Group.
In this respect, Samling said it had embarked on numerous community projects aimed not only at the economic uplifting of the communities, but the educational uplifting of their children and future generations.
These projects include roads, bridges, schools and medical assistance particularly Covid-19 related medical support, testing and other equipment and facilities, it said.
It added that it had provided 20,000 food packs to the rural communities in Baram, Layun, Lawas, Mayeng, Lana and the urban poor in Miri, and it also runs a bursary scheme for students from 51 primary and seven secondary schools.
“Samling has been present in rural Sarawak for many decades and has been a key partner of the state government in providing roads, education and healthcare facilities to these areas.
“The over 10,000km of various categories of roads and 81 bridges built and maintained by
Samling have provided a lifeline for rural communities in seeking medical treatment as well as education for the children and business activities.
“The Group is also the main source of employment for most of these communities, which make up over 80% of the manpower for the Group’s main upstream operational areas,” it said.
Samling said it always maintains its integrity as a responsible corporate citizen by adhering to all the relevant laws and regulations imposed by the state and federal authorities.
“Samling accepts fair criticism and scrutiny as part and parcel of the corporate world but it will not accept baseless and false accusations hurled against the Group and will continue to speak up to defend its reputation and name,” it said.