The Kaum Tering and Kaum Penan tribes oppose the deforestation of vast areas of virgin forest. The infrastructure risks having a devastating impact on the ecosystem, known for its biodiversity and rare animal species. Road construction goes hand in hand with increased forest conversion, illegal hunting and the clandestine wildlife trade.
Kuching () – The Kaum Tering and Kaum Penan tribes, who mostly live near Mulu National Park, in the northern interior region of Sarawak, are raising the alarm. Their concerns are due to the intense logging activities, which precede the construction of the highway that will link Miri with Mulu, which will undoubtedly have a radical impact on their livelihoods and, more generally, on the biodiversity of the protected natural area. .
For these tribes, the forests surrounding Mulu National Park are alive and have met their physical and spiritual needs in many ways since time immemorial. Additionally, the area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the largest national park in Sarawak. It is known for its great biodiversity, karst features, the 2,376 meter high sandstone pinnacle called Gunung Mulu, karst limestone and isolated peaks, as well as numerous rare and endemic plant and animal species.
In statements to environmentalist Willie Kajan, who is passionate about nature conservation and ecological issues, explained that large areas of the area’s forests will be cut down to clear land for the construction of the Miri-Mulu highway. “We will not accept it. “We don’t want to see large portions of our forests cut down by the government just because they want to build a highway,” he warns. If its construction “involves the felling of large portions of forest, we, the local natives of Mulu – he continues – will protest tooth and nail.” “We believe that it is better – concludes the activist – to build only a small stretch of road consolidated with asphalt and not a large highway that involves the deforestation of large sections of our forests.”
In a recent press conference, Kajan explained that the tribal communities have already made it known that they will not allow rocks to be torn down or hillsides to be cut in the Miri to Mulu road project.
The 200-kilometer highway linking Miri to the World Heritage-listed Mulu National Park will reportedly be built to facilitate travel for tourists visiting the world’s largest cave systems. The proposal for this project was approved by the State Legislative Assembly, with an estimated cost of 3.6 billion ringgit (about 770 million euros). The main objective of the infrastructure is to increase tourism and socioeconomic activities in the region.
Although state authorities have assured that the highway will not invade the Mulu National Park, as it will end at the edge of the area and tourists will be transported inland by boat, native communities oppose the project. The fear is fueled by the fact that the roads and dams built in the State in the past have had a strong impact on the livelihood of its populations and the biodiversity of the place.
According to Kajan, considering the contribution that good roads can make to economic growth and rural connectivity, expanding an area’s road network is justifiable. “However, important problems arise – he warns – when road promoters do not take into account all the costs and risks that they may imply for the economy, society and the environment as a whole.”
Furthermore, road construction goes hand in hand with increased forest conversion, illegal hunting and the clandestine wildlife trade.
“The tropical climate, sporadically distributed communities and its exceptionally sensitive and biodiversity-rich forest landscapes make the construction of good roads particularly complicated.” “Furthermore, inadequate environmental impact assessments do not recognize real risks and therefore – concludes the expert – do not allow policy makers and approval bodies to respond adequately to minimize potential risks.”
Sarawak has two world heritage sites: Mulu and Niah National Park, both located in the north of the country. Currently, the only way to reach Mulu is by small plane from Miri or by river transport.
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