By Save Rivers
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the world’s leading forest and timber certification body, has confirmed that a Malaysian timber company illegally harvested timber within a national park and destroyed high-conservation-value forest in its Sarawak logging operations.
The findings stem from a complaint filed in 2022 by a coalition of NGOs. After several years of coordinating between the parties and an investigation that primarily used satellite evidence, the FSC concluded there is “clear and convincing” proof supporting many of the allegations.
The investigation also identified a high risk for additional violations that were beyond the scope of the desk-based analysis.
Notably, the FSC investigation did not take into consideration the serious social allegations raised in the original complaint, despite the years-long process.
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“This decision was a long time coming, but it validates what the communities and NGOs have been saying all along,” Sarawak-based Save Rivers managing director Celine Lim said. “Samling’s logging operations in Sarawak fall far short of international standards.”
When the complaint was filed, Samling held two “chain of custody” certificates with FSC – both of which the company dropped when the investigation began.
The FSC’s “policy for association” prohibits any company associated with the FSC from engaging in activities such as illegal logging, destruction of high-conservation-value forests, and violations of traditional and human rights. This policy applies even to operations that are not FSC-certified.
When a breach is confirmed, the FSC can disassociate from the company or offer continued association on condition the company undergoes a formal remediation process.
Despite Samling’s withdrawal from the certification scheme, FSC has opted to maintain association with Samling on condition it undertakes a remediation process to address and make amends for the harms caused. If Samling refuses the conditions, the FSC will disassociate from the company.
“This decision is simply more evidence that the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme ignores violations of its own standards,” The Borneo Project’s executive director Jettie Word said.
“This investigation shows that Samling was operating in clear contravention of both certification standards and state law, yet these operations remained MTCS-certified. MTCS needs to take a long, hard look at how to rebuild public trust.”
“We welcome this confirmation of what we have been saying all along,’ said Komeok Joe, a Penan leader and executive director of Keruan Organisation. “This magnitude of destruction cannot be covered up forever.”
Lukas Straumann, the executive director of Bruno Manser Fonds, emphasised the need for accountability: “We expect Sarawak Forestry to investigate the illegal logging activities by Samling and penalise the company for the violations.” – Save Rivers
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