VZCZCXRO1254
RR RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB
DE RUEHKL #1957/01 2900922
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170922Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7799
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUALA LUMPUR 001957 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
OES FOR ASSISTANT SECRETARY MCMURRAY 
INTERIOR FOR FWS/INTERNATIONAL AND NPS/INTERNATIONAL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV TBIO MY BX ID
SUBJECT: HEART OF BORNEO: SARAWAK VIEWS 
 
REF: A. KUALA LUMPUR 1835 
 
     ¶B. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 497 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
¶1. (SBU) Residents of the Malaysian State of Sarawak are 
demonstrating increasing support for environmental 
conservation efforts, but have only a limited awareness of 
the proposed Heart of Borneo initiative aimed at integrating 
and enhancing the conservation efforts of Malaysia, Indonesia 
and Brunei.  In addition to budgetary concerns, some 
Sarwakians doubted the state government,s commitment to 
environmental protection, given the economic importance of 
the oil and gas, timber, and oil palm industries. 
Environmental activists that econoff met with maintained that 
concrete goals and projects, decided in a transparent manner, 
must be part of the HOB project from the outset to ensure 
success.  They also noted the critical role of Sarawak,s 
chief minister.  The Ambassador is scheduled to meet the 
Chief Minister to discuss HOB at the end of November.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) During a visit to the state of Sarawak, in 
northwestern Borneo, October 11-13, econoff met with 
representatives of several environment-related organizations 
to gauge the general environmental awareness of Sarawak 
residents, and to query specifically about the groups, 
interest in, and support for, the proposed Heart of Borneo 
(HOB) conservation initiative (see reftels).  Residents of 
Sarawak increasingly support conservation efforts, though 
several interlocutors noted that the state government,s 
tight budget was currently hampering its ability to manage 
existing parks and forest reserves.  Most interlocutors 
professed limited knowledge of the relatively new Heart of 
Borneo initiative, but they had uniform praise for the 
project,s professed goal of integrating and enhancing forest 
conservation efforts among the governments of Borneo, in the 
region encompassing their common borders. 
 
Malaysian Nature Society 
------------------------ 
 
¶3. (U) Representatives from the Sarawak branch of the 
Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) told econoff that they have 
seen slow but steady progress on environmental awareness 
among residents of Sarawak.  They noted in particular the 
very positive public reaction to a weekly column on 
environmental topics, written by MNS volunteers, in one of 
East Malaysia,s leading daily newspapers, "The Borneo Post". 
 While local government leaders and bureaucrats are also 
gradually becoming aware of the benefits of environmental 
protection, including through the promotion of eco-tourism, 
the MNS reps lamented that a general lack of coordination and 
communication among different government agencies tended to 
limit the government,s ability to act effectively. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Although only generally aware of the proposed Heart 
of Borneo (HOB) project, the MNS reps told econoff that the 
project will be successful in Sarawak only if the highest 
levels of the Sarawak government (i.e., the Chief Minister 
and his staff) are openly and strongly supportive; otherwise 
the fragmented government bureaucracy could prove an 
impediment.  They also suggested that the project be launched 
with specific, detailed goals; a grand announcement that 
merely initiated enhanced dialogue among the three countries 
(Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia) might not overcome the 
tendency for inertia to set in once the spotlight fades. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The MNS reps also pointed out that the close links 
between HOB and the WWF could be problematic, given the 
expulsion of the WWF from Sarawak in the early 1990s over its 
strong criticism of government resettlement policy for the 
semi-nomadic Palan tribe.  (One of the reps cynically mused 
that WWF was pushing HOB in part to regain a significant 
foothold in Sarawak.) Ineffective implementation of the state 
government,s issuance of research permits could also prove 
an impediment to the HOB's success; MNS said overly stringent 
government officials had limited such permits, at odds with 
state legislation that was intended to encourage such 
research. 
 
Wildlife Conservation Society 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Melvin Gumal of the Malaysian branch of the Wildlife 
Conservation Society (WCS) told econoff that environmental 
awareness in Sarawak has increased significantly in recent 
years.  He nevertheless pointed out that WCS has found that 
 
KUALA LUMP 00001957  002 OF 003 
 
 
it operates more effectively by limiting publicity of its 
activities, rather than emphasizing environmental problems 
and the inability and/or unwillingness of local governments 
to resolve them.  He contrasted WCS, continued strong 
presence in Sarawak over the years with the WWF and its 
difficulties in staying active and relative in the state. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Like the MNS reps, Gumal suggested that the HOB,s 
success will hinge on the pursuit of specific projects, 
rather than raising environmental awareness.  He pointed out 
that other smaller-scale environmental initiatives in Sarawak 
could use additional funding, and would perhaps seek 
inclusion under the broader HOB project, where feasible. 
Gumal also expressed concern about the ability of the Sarawak 
Forestry Corporation (which manages the state,s parks and 
reserves) to effectively implement HOB, given a sharp cut in 
its funding which has left it with half the staff that it had 
just a few years ago.  MNS reps confirmed to econoff that the 
SFC was severely understaffed and unable to effectively 
manage the areas under its authority. 
 
World Wildlife Fund -- Sarawak 
------------------------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) Dato, Seri Safri Awang Zaidell, who formerly was 
the Deputy State Secretary in the Sarawak government, but now 
represents a newly constituted WWF in Sarawak, was optimistic 
about the Sarawak government,s commitment to the success of 
the HOB project.  He acknowledged to econoff the WWF,s past 
difficulties in Sarawak, but claimed the state government 
would be able to work effectively with WWF on HOB.  Safri 
implied that his fairly close ties to the upper reaches of 
state government were instrumental in resurrecting the WWF in 
Sarawak, and would ensure that the HOB be viewed positively 
within the government. 
 
Borneo Resources Institute Malaysia 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Econoff discussed a variety of environment-related 
issues with associates of the Borneo Resources Institute 
Malaysia (BRIMAS) in the northern Sarawak city of Miri, near 
Brunei.  One area of particular concern to BRIMAS is the 
effect of government policies, both environmental and 
non-environmental, on the welfare of Sarawak,s indigenous 
population.  Although the BRIMAS reps indicated that Sarawak 
has relatively strong environmental protection laws, some 
dating to the 1930s, poor enforcement was a constant problem. 
 Harrison Ngau Laing, a lawyer who specializes in land title 
law, told econoff that tight state budgets leave government 
surveyors unable to delineate boundaries in much of Sarawak. 
At the same time, the government looks unfavorably on private 
sector land surveys to make up for government deficiencies. 
As a result, the government issues concessions to timber and 
oil palm companies for land that is frequently within the 
boundaries claimed as "native customary land" by indigenous 
people. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Although BRIMAS is disposed favorably to the HOB, 
the reps noted concern that the needs of any indigenous 
people living within the HOB boundaries be considered as 
decisions are made.  Like WCS and MNS, BRIMAS noted the 
importance of imposing strict conditions on funding for the 
HOB, and the need for a transparent process as well.  Their 
overriding concern is that, based on their past experience, 
commercial interests tend to receive more favorable treatment 
from the state government than indigenous people or 
environmental issues. 
 
Sarawak Timber Association 
-------------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) Lee Hua Seng, CEO of the Sarawak Timber Association 
(STA), told econoff that his member companies, in particular 
the "Big Six" firms that dominate the state,s timber 
industry, would be responsible partners on HOB.  He noted 
that STA had previously worked effectively with NGOs on other 
conservation efforts.  Lee mentioned the increasing 
importance of Forestry Stewardship Council certification of 
timber exports, which more importing countries, in particular 
the EU member states, now require of timber firms.  Lee said 
Sarawak,s mandatory chain of custody procedures for logs and 
timber worked well, but noted that the EU continues to be 
concerned about transshipment of illicit Indonesia timber 
through Sarawak. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
KUALA LUMP 00001957  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶12. (SBU) Our interlocutors, guarded praise for the HOB 
initiative stemmed primarily from a lack of information about 
the project.  There was widespread agreement that the 
initiative,s success will require a more transparent process 
than has been the case in previous environmental projects 
involving the state government.  Sarawak,s support for the 
HOB initiative will be on the agenda for the Ambassador,s 
upcoming visit to Sarawak in late November, including a 
meeting with the state,s Chief Minister, whose active 
support will be crucial for the initiative,s success. 
SHEAR