20 May 2024
On Today Show
— Baru Bian, the ADUN of Ba’kelalan – The Uncertain Future of Carbon Trading: Concerns of Sarawak's Indigenous People
— Paul Wan from Long Lama – Baram Residents Question Inaction on Flood-Prone Roads
— Meor Razak, SAM research & field officer – SAM and Segari Network Defend Coastal Ecosystem from Industrial Threats
Topik Pada Hari Ini
— Baru Bian, ADUN Ba'kelalan – Masa Depan Yang Tidak Pasti Perdagangan Karbon: Kebimbangan Orang Asal Sarawak
— Paul Wan dari Long Lama – Penduduk Baram Menyoal Tidak Tindakan Mengenai Jalan Yang Kerap Dilanda Banjir
— Meor Razak, Pegawai Penyelidikan dan Lapangan SAM – SAM dan Rangkaian Segari Mempertahankan Ekosistem Pantai Daripada Ancaman Industri
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*Special Randau*
1. President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran was killed in a helicopter crash in the northwest region of Iran, in the Varzagan Azerbaijan area. The helicopter crashed on Sunday afternoon during a return flight with Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian after the inauguration of a dam on the Azerbaijan border.
2. The third generation of Sarawakians born from marriages with non-Sarawakians are not entitled to receive state government assistance, nor are they eligible for free education in state-owned universities or for aid at state healthcare facilities, said Sarawak Deputy Premier Sim Kui Hian.
3. Local Sarawakians should seize the opportunity and participate in carbon trading in the state. The potential to share up to 50/50 of the proceeds with the involved companies is available. Agreements that benefit locals should be prioritized. Not only will locals gain financially, but our forests will also be preserved. Binding agreements between companies, forest owners, and the Sarawak government must be signed and agreed upon before carbon trading activities can commence, said Baru Bian.
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Baru Bian, the ADUN of Ba’kelalan
*The Uncertain Future of Carbon Trading: Concerns of Sarawak's Indigenous People*
Recently, Baru Bian, the ADUN of Ba’kelalan representing the PDP party, officiated at the Asia Carbon Conference on March 15, 2023. During the event, the Premier of Sarawak projected that carbon credits could generate an annual income of RM315 million to RM1.039 billion for Sarawak. The state has the potential to create carbon sinks, promote carbon sequestration, and implement tree-planting schemes for carbon credits. However, the current question is whether the acquisition of indigenous lands or forests will trigger more conflicts and disputes, or whether the indigenous people will be compensated or given a share in carbon trading.
Acknowledging carbon trading as a new and increasingly important issue in Sarawak, Baru Bian has taken steps to seek further clarification from several NGOs, including a briefing from Professor Pauline Bala. According to the information he obtained, the concerns of the indigenous people are whether they will be involved, what percentage of returns they will receive, and how carbon trading will be conducted.
According to the Sarawak Forest Ordinance (Forest Carbon Activities) 2022, the Sarawak government will impose a 5% tax on carbon trading, with the remaining 95% of carbon trading revenue determined by binding agreements between the companies conducting carbon trading and the owners of the forests and lands where the carbon is sourced. Baru Bian noted that the potential of an area varies according to the quality of the forest in that area, meaning the returns to the forest owners depend on the terms agreed upon in the contract between both parties.
Baru Bian added that a week ago, a company approached him and informed him that the upcoming agreement could potentially split the carbon trading revenue 50/50 between the company and the forest owners. What is good about carbon trading, according to Baru Bian, is that no more logging licenses or LPF (License for Planted Forests) will be issued in the carbon trading areas, and the forests will be 100% protected.
Regarding the prohibition of any activities in forests gazetted for carbon trading, this depends on the negotiations finalized in the agreement. He pointed out that the carbon trading agreements in Sabah had many weaknesses, which should not be repeated in Sarawak. Furthermore, carbon trading will also provide compensation to the forest owners for refraining from activities in the carbon forests and for the local community’s efforts in forest conservation.
For now, Baru Bian is positive that carbon trading will benefit the local people, companies, and the Sarawak government.
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Paul Wan from Long Lama
*Baram Residents Question Inaction on Flood-Prone Roads*
Paul Want shares his views on the frequent flooding on the roads to Long Bedian, Long Lama, and the logging road of Sungai Bemang.
During the active logging period, logging companies frequently maintained the roads and drainage systems. However, since the logging activities have decreased, the roads have not been adequately maintained, especially in areas where water drainage is obstructed during the rainy season. Where is the responsibility of the elected representatives chosen by the people? Why do the YBs (Yang Berhormat) seem to disregard these flooding issues?
Each area prone to flooding should have culverts installed to facilitate water flow and prevent flooding.
Paul wants to ask the people: Do the Baram residents still want to mandate a YB who does not work for them? It has been 60 years of stagnation; it’s time to change. Don’t just take the money during elections and end up losing out.
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Meor Razak, SAM research & field officer
*SAM and Segari Network Defend Coastal Ecosystem from Industrial Threats*
Groups of NGOs, including SAM and the Segari Group Network, have been fighting for environmental issues in Segari, Perak. Recently, these groups discovered that a team of university students and their lecturer wanted to meet with the local communities and surrounding NGOs to conduct a Social Impact Assessment related to a proposed gas refinery plant in Tanjung Hantu, Segari, Perak.
This project had been proposed long ago, but continuous strong protests from the local communities and NGOs, along with the company's inability or lack of capability, have caused the project to be stopped repeatedly. The original project was identified by the communities and NGOs in 2009. In that year, SAM sent a letter to the state government and a memorandum to revive the proposed project, arguing that the selected site was not suitable due to its highly sensitive environmental status.
Under the 3rd RMN, any turtle landing sites are ranked as Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) Rank 1. This ranking means that there should not be any industrial development, logging, or plantations, except for eco-tourism with minimal impact, or for social, environmental, economic, or research purposes—but not for heavy industry unrelated to the local communities' socio-economic needs. The local communities are mostly coastal fishermen, not commercial fishermen, and they depend heavily on surrounding natural resources. The presence of turtles landing in the coastal area of Tanjung Hantu indicates clean seawater. If turtles stop landing, it signifies that the water is polluted.
Previously, the groups ran an online petition, which garnered over 80,000 signatures globally. They printed and compiled it into a booklet. One of the local community members, who is an expert in monkey research, facilitated the group's ability to disseminate the petition worldwide.
Atigas was the original company planning to build the LNG refinery plant.