The Sarawak Forest Department says the HRW report, published on May 4, 2025, contained several errors, including misrepresenting individuals and communities mentioned.. – Photo courtesy of Zora Chan/WWF-Malaysia
KUCHING (Aug 29): The Sarawak Forest Department has refuted a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report entitled “Facing the Bulldozers: Iban Indigenous Resistance to the Timber Industry in Sarawak, Malaysia”, describing it as misleading and inaccurate.
In a statement today, the department said the report, published on May 4, 2025, contained several errors, including misrepresenting individuals and communities mentioned.
“For instance, one Jefferey is from Rumah Phillip not Rumah Mawang as described by the report,” it said.
The department stressed that it “categorically denies the allegations” in the HRW publication, saying they do not reflect the facts on the ground.
Investigations, it added, showed the cases highlighted involved individuals and groups who had encroached into Forest Reserves legally gazetted in 1937 for conservation and sustainable forest management.
“Any unauthorised occupation or clearing within these reserves is illegal activity. Enforcement actions taken by the Forest Department are therefore directed towards sustainably managing the areas free from encroachment and degradation, not against legitimate or lawful communities,” it said.
The department further alleged that HRW had acted on behalf of an individual, not the wider Ulu Anap community, and warned that such actions risk creating divisions within local groups.
It emphasised that any legitimate land claims must be pursued through the proper legal channels in accordance with the Land Code (Cap. 81, 1958 Ed.), noting with concern that its clarifications were omitted from the report.
“Instead, what has been presented are distorted narratives and unfounded allegations that demonstrate a disregard for our laws, regulations, and the cultural and social systems that govern our people,” it said.
On the issue of forest plantation certification, the department explained that the non-certification of certain adjacent plantations was due to international cut-off dates beyond the state’s control.
“If HRW insists on the certification of forest plantations in Sarawak, then we urge them to support the extension of this cut-off date.
“Without such action, their demands are neither practical nor fair,” it said.
The department reaffirmed the state’s commitment to pursuing certification within an equitable international framework while upholding transparency, good governance, and community rights.
“Our policies and actions are consistent with Sarawak’s laws as well as Malaysia’s broader commitments towards sustainable development and the protection of indigenous rights.
“We continue to engage with local communities and relevant stakeholders to ensure that forest management is inclusive, fair, and beneficial for all, with a proper and systematic process in place to prevent social instability.
“Accordingly, we firmly reject the unfounded assertions made in the HRW report. We remain committed to our mission in protecting Sarawak’s forests for present and future generations,” it said.