KUCHING, Nov 20 — The Penan community has urged the state government to honour the pledge made by the late former chief minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem to recognise over 10,000 square metres of virgin area in Baram, Miri Division as a heritage forest.
Spokesman Komeok Joe said the Penan community wants the state government to recognise this in black and white, not orally, over the vast area which it wants to protect and preserve for the group’s communal use.
“The late Adenan orally agreed to our request after we sent him a letter in May 2015,” Komeok told reporters today.
He said following the oral agreement, the Penan community leaders met with the director of Forestry department Sapuan Ahmad a few times to work out the details.
However, Komeok said since then nothing has been heard on their request after the death of Adenan.
He said a group of Penan community leaders met with Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah three days ago to seek an explanation from him.
He said they also handed over to him a letter, signed by 10 Penan community leaders, and 23 maps of scattered Penan settlements and areas they want to include in the heritage forest.
He said the maps contain information on 63 communities, 7,000 rivers and streams, and 1,500 species of trees and plants.
Komeok said the maps also cover landmarks and historical sites which identify the close relationship between the Penan community and the forests for centuries until today.
“It took us over 15 years to collect data and other useful information for inclusion in the maps,” he said, adding that the maps are the records of their cultures, their relationship with the forests and the environment.
