KUCHING: The Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) has denounced what it described as misleading narratives from several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on the termination of the Upper Baram Forest Area (UBFA) project.
FDS director Datuk Hamden Mohammad clarified that the termination had nothing to do with the claims by the NGOs of transparency issues. Instead, the decision was driven by the need to safeguard the interests of the Upper Baram community and avoid further NGO interference.
“We terminated the project to prevent further NGO interference in UBFA project implementation and to be disassociated from the BMF as a donor who thinks they have the right to dictate to the Sarawak government what to do since they provided the measly funds of US$150,000.
“The NGOs knew very well why we terminated the project but blamed the Forest Department for sinking the UBFA project,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Hamden criticised the NGOs, including Save Rivers, BMF, and The Borneo Project, for unfairly blaming his department while misrepresenting the reasons behind the project’s cancellation.
“Their claims are baseless. The decision followed extensive discussions with the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) to halt these NGOs from pushing their own agendas under the guise of advocating for the indigenous people of Upper Baram,” he said, adding that the NGOs had failed to bring tangible benefits to the community, offering only “lip service” and working from the comfort of their desks.
Said Hamden: “Where are the roads and facilities they promised to build? Have they listened to the majority of the community?”
He further questioned the transparency and sincerity of these NGOs, especially those with members who are Sarawak citizens.
“Where is their spirit of cooperation when they publicly criticise Sarawak while being citizens of this state?” he said.
Hamden noted that many community members in Upper Baram had rejected NGO interference, as evidenced by letters sent to the Premier’s Office, FDS and ITTO. He also revealed that during a dialogue session at Data Bila on Oct 8, the local community initially denied the NGOs access but allowed them to participate at FDS’s request for fairness.
“NGOs like Save Rivers and BMF seem to prefer the Penan communities remain in traditional lifestyles. While that might have been true in the 1980s, today, many Penans want access to roads and development to match other ethnic groups in Sarawak,” Hamden said, citing feedback from the Penan Council, headed by the Pemanca, to the Premier of Sarawak.
Hamden said FDS respects the Penan people’s choices, whether they wish to follow government development plans or continue their traditional lifestyles.
Despite the UBFA project’s termination, Hamden confirmed that FDS’s collaboration with ITTO remains intact, with two new projects focused on community development and sustainable livelihoods scheduled for 2025.
“FDS has successfully worked with ITTO on 16 projects since the 1990s, totalling over US$16 million, without donor interference, except in this instance,” he said.
Hamden also dismissed any intention to engage in a public blame game with the NGOs, criticising their tendency to use media platforms to voice false allegations.
“Instead of engaging constructively in the project steering committee, these NGOs have chosen to air grievances through the media,” he added.
In a joint statement, BMF and Save Rivers had alleged a lack of transparency in the government’s decision to terminate the UBFA project, which involved the management of 285,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land.
The project had received backing from Basel City, BMF, and the Government of Japan.
