A delegation of indigenous leaders from Sarawak is in London to lobby the UK government to stop importing timber deemed "sustainable" by the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS).
They say this is because the logging in Borneo forests affects indigenous territories, and claiming that the logging is sustainable is "greenwashing".
The UK is the third largest importer of MTCS-certified timber in the world.
On Jan 23, the delegation joined a group of 30 supporters at the Tate Modern's Turbine Hall, to mourn the loss of rainforests, in a ritual ceremony devised by British artist, Gaby Solly.
The group then went on to form a "funeral procession" through London, to deliver letters to the UK government and King Charles, demanding the UK act against further rainforest destruction.
In a letter to King Charles and the British government, the delegation said the logging firms are misleading the UK by "greenwashing" their logging activities in indigenous areas.
They also urged the King and the government to visit the affected sites to see the impact on communities.
Logging affecting indigenous way of life
Penan elder and CEO of the NGO Keruan, Komeok Joe said among the areas affected is the Upper Baram Forest Area.
This area is part of a conservation project supported by the Malaysian government and the International Tropical Timber Organisation.
However, a logging company that extracted timber from there is now in the process of getting its concession certified under MTCS.
"The local Penan communities strongly oppose any logging in that area, called Siman Mountain, as it has high cultural and spiritual significance.
"We ask the British government to open their ears to our plight and help us.
"Anyone must first come and see the reality on the ground before approving any timber for certification or import," he said in a statement.
Others in the delegation include Celine Lim, managing director of Save Rivers, who said the UK's consumption of Malaysian timber is endangering the indigenous way of life.
She said logs are taken from forests within indigenous areas without the community’s knowledge or consent.
"We have repeatedly raised the communities’ concerns over logging and the dangers of greenwashing under the MTCS label with the respective authorities in Malaysia, to no avail.”
Meanwhile, Friends of the Earth's forest and supply chains campaigner, Clare Oxborrow said voluntary certification schemes that UK consumers rely on to ensure sustainability are not working.
"As a significant importer of Malaysian timber, the UK has a responsibility to ensure that our demand for wood and commodities like palm oil do not destroy precious forests and cause harm to people overseas,” said Oxborrow.
Widely-accepted certification scheme
Last year, a delegation of indigenous Malaysians visited the Netherlands, the top importer of MTCS-certified timber, on the same mission.
The delegation said the Dutch government "signalled interest" that it is keen to review its endorsement of the MTCS.
The Netherlands endorsed MTCS timber in 2017 after the Malaysian government addressed issues on indigenous rights, availability of comprehensive maps and forest conversions under MTCS.
Launched in 2001, the MTCS is a voluntary scheme to ensure the sustainable management of Malaysia’s Permanent Reserved Forests (PRF).
It is operated by the Malaysian Timber Certification Council, and was the first tropical timber certification scheme in the region to be endorsed by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).
The PEFC is an accreditation body of the largest forest area in the world.
The MTCS has been accepted under the national timber procurement policies of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, New Zealand, Switzerland and the UK, and recognised by green building systems in Abu Dhabi, Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Singapore, the Netherlands, UK, the US, and UAE, as well as by the Green Building Index (GBI) in Malaysia. - Mkini
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