Penan delegation delivers petition to Awang Tengah against logging in upper Baram River basin

KUCHING (Aug 27): A group of Penans today delivered a petition with over 500 signatures to Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan to demand an immediate halt to logging in the upper Baram River basin.

They handed over the petition after the opening of the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Forest Landscape Restoration 2024 here.

It was also given to the Sarawak Director of Forests Datu Hamden Mohammad, and Ramon Carrillo of the International Tropical Timber Organisation, said a press statement issued by a group of non-governmental organisations.

A farmer from Ba Data Bila, Maria Nilson, who is among those who handed over the petition, alleged in the press statement that her people was scared of growing aggression in her village.

“Our delegation is here in Kuching today to ask the Premier and other representatives of the government to end the logging and bring peace back to our home and forest.

“We Penan have supported the UBFA (Upper Baram Forest Area) project because we hoped to finally get development without destruction of our forest. Now despite the official recognition of the project, our worst fears have materialised,” she said.

The press statement was issued by Keruan, Save Rivers Network, Bruno Manser Fonds and The Borneo Project.