In Malaysia, the vastly diverse area of Borneo known as Sarawak, home to the nomadic Penan people, is the world's oldest and richest ecosystem rainforest. But it is also being deforested rapidly. This paper discusses Sarawak's plight.

Save our forest, HALT MULTI-NATIONAL RAIN FOREST DESTRUCTION

Wilderness Committee Educational Report Vol.08 - No.06b 2nd class, 1989

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FACTS ABOUT SARAWAK

Sarawak, located in the north-west part of Borneo, is geographically the largest state in Malaysia with a land area of 124,449 square kilometres. In terms of its concentration of natural resources, Sarawak is also the richest state with forests, abundant petroleum and natural gas.

Sarawak joined the Federation of Malaysia in 1963 when Malaysia achieved independence after more than a century of British Colonial rule. Although defence and financial affairs such as income tax and petroleum resources are under the jurisdiction of the Federal government, the Sarawak state government holds overwhelming powers in matters related to land tenure and forest resources.

The indigenous tribal people of Sarawak make up the majority population (44%), but the state is ruled politically and financially by the Chinese (28%). The Iban people are the largest of Sarawak's tribal groups with over 400,000, while the Penan are among the smallest with between 5,000 - 6,000. The total population in Sarawak in 1980 was 1,233,103.