Click on the picture to download 

Click on the picture to download 

This publication is the outcome of our research on the socio-environmental impacts of large pulp and paper, timber tree and oil palm plantations in Sarawak. It contains two case studies on plantation affected indigenous communities in Batu Niah and Bakong in the Miri Division. It stresses on the importance of understanding the context of large monoculture plantations in Sarawak accurately, as it entails two destructive factors. First, it involves deforestation, as it is clearly a post-logging development. This began in the late 1990s, as a result of the depletion in natural timber resources caused by the excessive logging in the previous decades. Second, it involves the violations of the NCR. Both factors are caused by various systemic weaknesses in governance, policy and law, which have failed to ensure sustainable forestry management and provide land tenure security for the NCR. It also provides analysis on the law and forestry and plantation statistics in Sarawak, oil palm smallholders and certification and ends with a set of policy and legal recommendations. The Malay version of the publication will be made available soon.

Penerbitan ini merupakan hasil penyelidikan kami tentang kesan-kesan perladangan besar monokultur ke atas komuniti orang asal dan hutan di Sarawak. Ia menegaskan perlunya kita memahami konteks perladangan monokultur besar di Sarawak dengan tepat, kerana ianya melibatkan dua buah faktor kemusnahan. Pertama, ia telah melibatkan kemusnahan hutan, kerana ia merupakan sebuah perkembangan pasca-pembalakan. Ianya bermula pada lewat 1990an, setelah sumber kayu balak semakin berkurangan akibat dari pembalakan tidak terkawal yang dilakukan pada dekad-dekad terdahulu. Kedua, ia telah melibatkan pencabulan hak tanah adat. Dua buah faktor ini berlaku akibat dari pelbagai kelemahan sistemik dari sudut kepemerintahan, polisi dan perundangan yang gagal memastikan pengurusan hutan yang lestari dan memberikan jaminan pegangan tanah terhadap NCR. Ia juga memberikan analisis tentang undang-undang dan statistik perhutanan dan perladangan di Sarawak, pekebunan kecil, pensijilan dan disudahi dengan sekumpulan syor polisi dan perundangan. Versi Bahasa Melayu akan diterbitkan di dalam masa terdekat ini.

The Temiar community of Gua Musang, Kelantan                      Picture: SAM

Press Statement                                     19 JANUARY 2019

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) welcomes the first of a kind civil suit brought by the Federal Government against Kelantan. SAM applauds the Government's seriousness and sincerity in recognising, respecting and upholding the rights of the Orang Asli in the country as per our Constitution.

For long, indigenous communities, the country's most marginalised have been struggling to have their voices heard and their rights recognised through various means. With this suit, we hope that the Government will begin looking at reforming all laws and policies put in place during the old regime which have stopped short of respecting and recognising the customary rights of indigenous peoples.

Meeting between communities from Marudi and Tinjar with a few Sarawak State Assemblypersons and SAM. Picture: SAM

Press Statement                                                 08 October 2018

In Miri today, SAM arranged for two groups of indigenous communities from Marudi and Tinjar, Baram, to meet Sarawak state assemblypersons with the aim of halting the violations of their native customary rights (NCR) by oil palm plantation projects.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia turned 40 years old on 27.09.2017. To celebrate this momentous occasion, we produced a short video to highlight some of our work. We would not have come so far without the support of the communities we work closely with, the dedicated staff as well as friends and well wishers who have believed in our work. 

Here is our story. 

FMT News                                 April 24, 2016

BAKUN: The Sarawak state government is ready to consider a request by natives of the Bakun area, now resettled 60km at Sungai Asap longhouse, for permission to cultivate their native land near the Bakun dam, said State Land Development Minister James Jemut Masing.

He said discussions would be held with the relevant authorities by the state government and Sarawak Hidro Sdn Bhd, the operator of the Bakun hydroelectric power plant and dam. Click to read

Borneo Post Online                    April 21, 2016

BELAGA: The natives from upper Balui area who were relocated to Sg Asap to make way for the Bakun dam will be allowed to carry out cultivation activities at their ancestral lands located one km from the dam.

The good news was revealed by Land Development Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing, who believed they had rights to the land. Click to read

SAM prepared a briefing paper for the March 2014 Parliament sitting for law and policy makers. This paper discussed the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade - Voluntary Partnership Agreement (FLEGT-VPA). The paper served as a background for law and policy makers on indigenous customary land rights and the issuance of MYTLAS licence prior to the signing of the VPA, among others.  

SAM's position paper on the legal implications in the failure to institute policy and legislative reforms in relation to customary land rights was endorsed by Jaringan Orang Asal dan NGO Tentang Isu-Isu Hutan / Network of Indigenous Peoples and Non-Governmental Organisations on Forest Issues (JOANGOHutan), Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia / The Indigenous Peoples’ Network of Malaysia (JOAS), Jaringan Tanah Hak Adat Bangsa Asal Sarawak / The Sarawak Native Customary Land Rights Network (TAHABAS), Sarawak Indigenous Lawyers Association (SILA), Save Rivers Network and Dr. Yogeswaran Subramaniam, Advocate & Solicitor, High Court of Malaya.

This paper was submitted to the European Union during SAM's lobby trip to Europe in 2013. 

Ini adalah risalah bagi orang-orang kampung terutamanya, kampung-kampung orang asal yang ingin menubuhkan persatuan penduduk. Risalah ini memberitahu langkah-langkah untuk menubuhkan sebuah persatuan di bawah Akta Perubuhan 1966. 

This is a brochure for indigenous communities especially who wish to set up residents' associations under the Societies Act 1966.