20-05-2025
Len Talif: ITTO agreed to Upper Baram Forest Area project's termination, sole focus on Penan community undermined area's harmony
Datuk Len Talif Salleh
KUCHING (May 20): The International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) agreed with the termination of the Upper Baram Forest Area (UBFA) project, said Datuk Len Talif Salleh.
The Deputy Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment explained that the project titled 'Management of Upper Baram for Conservation and Sustainable Development with Involvement of Local Communities', which involved Bruno Manser Fonds (BMF), was terminated during the Steering Committee Meeting on Oct 10 last year.
According to him, the project's termination was justified due to several reasons.
'BMF failed to comply with the conditions set by the Sarawak government by focusing solely on one ethnic group, the Penan, even though other communities such as the Kenyah, Kelabit, and Saban also have significant interests in the area.
'This approach risks undermining the harmony among the communities,' he explained during the question-and-answer session in the State Legislative Assembly today.
He was responding to Dennis Ngau (GPS-Telang Usan), who had asked the ministry to clarify the termination of the UBFA project as well as the government's actions and plans for the communities within the affected area.
Len Talif said BMF also intended to designate the area as a 'Purely Conservation Area' solely for the survival of the Penan community, even though a Totally Protected Area (TPA) already exists nearby.
According to him, the project's termination would not adversely affect the livelihood of the communities in the area.
'This includes the Penan community, as various development projects and programmes aimed at improving their standard of living have been and will continue to be implemented by the Forest Department, ministries, departments, and other government agencies across various sectors,' he said.
The Sarawak government has signed four Project Agreement Letters of Consent with the ITTO – two projects on March 20, 2023 and another two on Sept 9, 2024.
Three of the projects are in Ulu Baram, while the fourth project is in Sungai Menyang, Lubok Antu.
Since 1992, the Sarawak Forest Department has never cancelled any project signed with ITTO except for UBFA.
