S’wak PKR demands end to logging in ecologically sensitive zones

MIRI – PKR’s Baram division in Sarawak has blamed the worsening floods in Telang Usan, Mulu and Marudi on the extensive logging activities being carried out in ecologically sensitive zones within the state’s northern interior.

He warned that the floods that hit the region again yesterday is the latest warning sign that the forest and river systems cannot tolerate any more environmental degradation, soil erosion and siltation caused by logging operations.

The party’s Baram branch chairman Roland Engan told a press conference that there are up to 12 watershed zones in Baram alone where large-scale cutting are being carried out and demanded that the state stop these activities.

“Logging must be stopped totally and immediately. The floods keep happening, every time it rains heavily, flash floods sweep across the three districts as is seen again now.

“We, Baram PKR, found that the root cause of these floods is due to the logging being carried out in the watershed areas in Ulu Tutoh, Ulu Magoh, Ulu Apoh, Ulu Patah, Ulu Tinjar, Ulu Silat, Ulu Akeh, Ulu Moh, Ulu Belukun, Ulu Serunga, Ulu Bemang and Ulu Belong.

“These loggings have been carried out for decades and they are getting more extensive. The soil erosion and siltation of rivers continue deteriorating unmitigatedly.

“These logging operations must be totally stopped if we want to see any improvement to the flood problems,” he said.

Engan said these watershed areas are located along tributaries of the Baram River running through Telang Usan, Mulu and Marudi.

He also stressed that sandmining operations carried out by government contractors must be properly controlled.

His branch has demanded the state government to take flood mitigation efforts seriously, seeing that things are going from bad to worse.

Yesterday, Mulu National Park and its surrounding settlements were flooded, and the inundation has spread to Telang Usan and Marudi today as the rain continues to fall unabated.

In Mulu, at least six populated settlements are still flooded by more than a metre of water.

Local tour guide and social activist Willie Kajan told The Vibes yesterday that the floods have also destroyed many farms.

The longhouse settlements of Long Terawan, Long Panai, Long Ulo, Long Patan, Batu Kala, Long Lenai, as well as villages and other settlements along Sg Tutoh are already flooded with certain areas seeing water levels reaching as high as 1.5m.

To add to the villagers’ misfortune, the flood had also destroyed almost their entire crop of lowland paddy and vegetables – just as they were in the midst of harvesting.

“It’s so tragic, we have lost all our crops,” Kajan said. – The Vibes, March 24, 2022