Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud
Chief Minister Sarawak.

Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman, Chairman,
Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM)

24 April, 2002

Dear Sirs,

We are writing to express our concern about the problems resulted from logging and plantations activities faced by the native communities of Sarawak.

We urge you to ensure Penan peoples that all their demands will be fulfilled. Their constitutional right must be protected from intimidation or harassment by both the police and company workers during the blockades. Please try to deal with the communities involved in the blockades and not to resort to actions such as arbitrary arrests. The blockades are solely meant to assert and protect the peoples' right to their own livelihoods.

We recommend that the Federal and State Governments, along with Suhakam, conduct full and comprehensive investigations into the people's complaints, and review the licensing and planning policies for development projects that are proposed on land where Native Customary Rights are exercised.

We therefore urge you to investigate these serious problems in Sarawak, sustainable development can only be reached with the participation of affected communities in the development process.

Thank you in advance for your kind attention to this important matter.

Yours sincerely,

Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad,
Prime Minister, Malaysia
Main Block, Prime Minister's Department Complex
62502 Putrajaya, MALAYSIA
Tel: +603-88881957
Fax: +603- 88883444

Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud
Chief Minister Sarawak,
Level 22, Wisma Bapa Malaysia
Petrajaya, 93502 Kuching, Sarawak
Tel: +6082-441957
Fax: +6082-444566