Penan community push for 870-hectare Magoh Biosphere Reserve to protect Sarawak’s rainforest

Penan delegation in front of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS).

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Aug 9: A group of indigenous Penan is advocating for the establishment of a new Magoh Biosphere Reserve, an 870-hectare area in Sarawak’s interior that connects Gunung Mulu National Park with Pulong Tau National Park, for Unesco designation to protect the forest from deforestation by logging companies.

The Penan group from Magoh is said to have travelled to Kuching to launch a campaign for a Unesco-protected Magoh Biosphere Reserve in conjunction with the International Day of Indigenous People today.

In fact, the Penan villages in Bareh and Magoh in Upper Baram, represented by Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS) president Paulus Ghani and Keruan Organisation head Komeok Joe, issued a letter for the Magoh Declaration dated July 11, 2024. The letter, addressed to the Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, requests that the Premier consider the proposal on the Magoh Biosphere Reserve.

The Magoh area contains valuable forests and an outstanding biodiversity. Photo credit: Claudio Sieber

The requests emphasised the need for the area to be managed, utilised and protected by the Penan, an indigenous people of Sarawak whose culture is closely linked to the Borneo tropical rainforest.

They stressed that the region comprises primary and secondary rainforests with a high conservation value and plays an important role as a wildlife corridor. It is home to endangered mammals such as pangolins, the sun bear and the clouded leopard as well as several rare hornbill species.

The proposed Magoh Biosphere Reserve aims to halt deforestation in the area so that the Penan can continue to use the land sustainably, improve their standard of living, and secure their rights as indigenous people.

The Penan in the area still live a semi-nomadic life and depend heavily on the forests. Photo credit: Claudio Sieber

“We are here, we have always been here, and we want to continue to protect the forest,” said Penan leader Peng Megut from Long Tevenga in a media release by Bruno Manser Fonds today.

The Magoh Declaration was signed by 96 Penan from 15 communities and handed over to the Premier of Sarawak’s Department today.

Penan leader Guman Megut from Long Dau’un hopes “that we can count on Sarawak Premier and that he will support our desire to protect the forest for us and future generations.”

The Penan emphasised that their request for the protection of the Magoh forest is not new to the Sarawak Premier. In 1987, when Abang Johari served as Penan Affairs Minister, a study by the Sarawak Planning Department identified the Magoh region as one of seven areas that met the criteria for a Unesco Biosphere Reserve.

Since then, there have been several exchanges between the Sarawak Forest Department and the Penan of Magoh, in which the Penan were promised the area. However, this promise has yet to be fulfilled. — DayakDaily

Map of the Magoh Biosphere.