Baram’s lesson: When people speak freely, democracy works

By Peter Kallang

In 2016, people in Baram showed the true power of democracy.

Grassroots communities, supported by NGOs and civil society, stood up against the proposed Baram hydroelectric dam and won. The project, which would have drowned villages and forests, was cancelled because ordinary people made their voices heard at every stage of the struggle.

This was not just a victory over a dam. It was a reminder that the people have a democratic right to be involved in every step of decision-making that affects their lives, land and future.

The late Chief Minister Adenan Satem recognised this right. By listening to the ground, he proved that leadership and democracy should go hand in hand.

“Grassroots participation is the essence of democracy, not a threat to it.” – John Jau Sigau

Today, Baram once again stands at a crossroads. A recent so-called resolution requires Indigenous communities in Upper Baram to obtain official approvalbefore engaging with NGOs. On the surface, this may look like order and protection. In reality, it risks silencing communities, empowering selective ‘consultants’ and eroding the democratic rights that people in Baram fought so hard to defend.

Legal and moral problem

Malaysia’s Federal Constitution guarantees freedom of association and expression.

Indigenous peoples, under both domestic law and international standards such as free, prior and informed consent, have the right to freely choose their partners in development and advocacy.

By making NGO access subject to bureaucratic approval, this ‘resolution’ shifts power away from the communities themselves and into the hands of political actors. Instead of strengthening democracy, it risks weakening it.

Danger of selective ‘consultants’

One of the gravest dangers is the rise of selective ‘consultants’ – handpicked groups allowed to operate while others are excluded. Such consultants may claim to represent communities, but in practice they often serve political or corporate agendas.

“When only handpicked voices are heard, democracy gives way to autocracy and corruption.” – Boyce Ngau, Gerenai Communities Right Action Committee

This selective process risks excluding the majority of Indigenous voices, silencing critical NGOs and creating divisions. It paves the way to autocracy and corruption, where access and representation are granted based on favour rather than rights.

Exploitation without watchdogs

Restricting NGO engagement also weakens scrutiny over logging, plantations, mining and dam projects. Without independent watchdogs, communities face a greater risk of land loss, environmental destruction and cultural erosion. Decisions can be presented as ‘consultative’ while, in reality, voices of resistance are sidelined.

The cancellation of the Baram dam proved that when grassroots voices are heard, destructive projects can be stopped. If those voices had been blocked or filtered through gatekeepers, the outcome would likely have been very different.

Global heritage at stake

Baram is not just a local issue. It is a region of global heritage significance:

• Gunung Mulu National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site
• Pulung Tau National Park, safeguarding fragile ecosystems
• Vast forests, rare species and cultural sites vital to Indigenous identity

“Baram is not just local, it is part of the world’s heritage.” – Thomas Jalong, president of Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS)

Restricting independent research and conservation access undermines Malaysia’s commitments under Unesco, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Ramsar Convention. It also risks damaging ecotourism, which depends on global trust in transparency and sustainability.

Rule of law and future of Baram

For Malaysia to be respected as a nation governed by the rule of law, NGO engagement cannot be reduced to a matter of political favour. Any process must be transparent, accountable and, above all, respectful of constitutional rights and Indigenous autonomy.

The late Adenan Satem understood this. He knew that listening to the grassroots, supported by credible civil society groups, was not a weakness but a strength. His decision on the Baram dam remains a model of leadership rooted in fairness and foresight.

To ignore this lesson now would dishonour Adenan’s legacy and disempower people in Baram.

Call for openness, not silence

Baram once proved that when people are free to speak, democracy works. That lesson must not be forgotten or reversed.

The way forward is clear:

• Communities must remain free to choose their partners without excessive bureaucratic interference.
• NGO engagement must be fair, transparent and accountable, not restricted to selective consultants.
• Independent oversight must protect Indigenous rights and Malaysia’s international obligations.

Attempt to distract from real issue

Regarding all that is happening in the Upper Baram, it is not unreasonable to suspect that this attempt at a so-called resolution is merely a tactic to distract the public from the real issue at hand: Indigenous lands and pristine forests are being destroyed by a logging company, with the blessing of the Forest Department.

This controversial logging operation is being allowed to continue apparently without certification, even though all long-term logging operations in Sarawak are required to have certification.

Many local people and communities are opposing these operations. Their voices matter, and their voices are powerful. This is perhaps one reason the Forest Department is attempting to villainise NGOs – to shift the attention and the blame elsewhere.

Baram stands once again at a turning point. We can choose the path of openness, accountability and genuine partnership or the path of silence, control and exploitation.

For the sake of our democracy, our forests and our children’s future, the choice should be obvious. – Save Rivers

Peter Kallang is the chairman of Save Rivers.

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