Sarawak: What is the price of modernisation?

Money - we all love it, we all want more of it. Money makes the world go round, as they say, and money is a huge contributing factor to how far and fast a country modernises itself.

Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia, and although it has a reputation of being under-developed, it is an economic powerhouse which contributes more to the country’s GDP than Kedah, Melaka, and Terengganu combined. So why do we see it as under-developed and where is all that money coming from?

Well, the reason that we see the state as under-developed is because it is.

Putting aside issues of ‘fair’ economic distribution, the land is filled with monstrous rainforests and swamp terrains, that whilst beautiful and majestic, adds to difficultly in development. This limits a lot of the rural communities in terms of travel and trade. With little to no basic infrastructures such as paved roads, electric grid lines or running water, it contributes to the reason why there is such a high level of income disparity compared to the GDP output. Incidentally, nature is also what provides for the wealth in Sarawak, with natural resources such as oil and gas as the main contributors to its economic strength.

Balancing nature whilst turbo-charging the economy.

Let’s take a closer look at what sparked this conversation – money. I’m sure most, if not all of us have held a RM100 note in our hands, but have you ever noticed the majestic mountains printed at the back of the note? That, is Gunung Mulu of Sarawak, within it is the largest known cave chamber in the world. You must be wondering what that has to do with turbo-charging the economy. Well in Sarawak, the growth of the state is inextricably linked to its natural wonders. Not in the way that some countries rely on its natural formations for tourism dollars, but in a much sadder, more complicated battle for balance.

Sarawak’s terrains are covered by thousands of acres of beautiful rainforests. Arguably the most notable of these is the Gunung Mulu National Reserve which makes up a part of the Borneo rainforest. Over the course of 140 million years, time and rain has slowly nurtured the land, creating a fortress of trees 40-meters high and is twice as old as their antipodal cousins in the Amazon, making it one of the oldest rainforests in the world.

In this and many of the rainforests all over Sarawak lives a wide range of flora and fauna. The variety is so massive that scientists are still discovering new species today, and many of them are exclusive to the land. Some notable species that roam these forests include the mighty Orangutan, the Velvet Worm; a 500-million-year-old predator, and of course, the pride of Sarawak and its namesake, the majestic Helmeted Hornbills.

For thousands of years, Belaga has been home to the Helmeted Hornbills. Unlike the other species of hornbills, Helmeted Hornbills have solid casques. The solid casques as used as means to protect themselves as they soar through the air in aerial jousting sessions, hammering and head-butting each other for dominance. The alpha winners of the joust would be rewarded with access to sweet fruits high up in the trees. Come mating season, the Tapang trees are the most sought-after as it towers high in the jungle and offers space and safety for nests. According to the Ibans, Sarawak’s largest native tribe, the Hornbill is not only symbolic as heralds of omens, they are in the realest sense, the farmers of the forest. Clusters of saplings are often found in areas with a thriving Hornbill colony as they spit out and defecate seeds of various fruits consumed, creating a new generation of forestry for years to come.

Rainforests like these are significant pockets of carbon sequestration of the world. Sounds like a big word? Simply put, carbon sequestration is the process of putting back the carbon we’ve spewed into our air in the ground. Each tree in the rainforest of Sarawak acts as a carbon storage unit that helps trap the carbon we’ve released into our atmosphere. This effect helps bring down the greenhouse gases that are affecting all of us, making our lives much better.

Today, the ecological balance of the land is under threat.

To make way for development and in the name of growth, we acknowledge that some clearing of the land must be made. However, the question is where we draw the line. How much can we sacrifice in the name of economic development before we stop to look at what it leaves behind in the path to develop the economy?

We need to look further into how we can use the available resources to help both Sarawak and the nation as a whole to grow the economic pie.

Building for tomorrow

As oil and gas is highly volatile in nature, it makes sense to diversify growth. As such, renewable energy is one of the main focus of the state moving forward. This is where Sarawak Corridor Of Renewable Energy (SCORE) steps in. SCORE is set to skyrocket Sarawak as a leader in renewable energy through hydropower with the mega-dam projects.

This project hopes to solve energy issues in Sarawak while creating bigger industrial opportunities for the state. The mega-dams such as Bakun Dam, which is roughly the size of Singapore, provides most of the energy required to power up massive industries providing about 2,400MW at full capacity.

With the development of more mega-dams in the pipeline, SCORE hopes to attract foreign investments and businesses into Sarawak. With the immense power that would be generated by these mega-dams, high powered factories can be built here which would lead to foreign investments from economic giants such as China & the US. Mega factories like this will help create thousands of jobs across the state and will give a huge boost to the country’s economy. The increase in power produced could also signal cheaper electricity rates for Sarawak moving forward.

But the price to pay, is deforestation and disruptions to the complex ecosystems.

In the past, SCORE has been criticised by multiple bodies for how they have been managing their projects. Studies have shown that deforestation to build mega-dams have created huge environmental impact including the loss of habitat, displacement of native residents and the destruction of plants and animals that are unique in the region. Although most of the natives have been relocated, the flooded land can no longer regrow itself into the mighty forest it once was. Endangered species like the Helmeted Hornbill who nests in tall trees now face loss of habitat which creates further difficulties for reproduction.

One of the leading bodies that look into the development projects in Sarawak is Save Rivers, an organisation that supports and empowers rural communities to protect their land, rivers, and watersheds through capacity building, networking, research, education, and advocacy.

We spoke to Peter Kallang, the chairman of Save Rivers to get his opinion on the matter.

According to Peter, in Sarawak, plastic waste is not the main cause of river pollution. It is poorly managed logging that's causing pollution in the river. Mud & debris flows into the river due to loose soil and creates siltation issues, affecting the quality of water that the natives get for both their domestic use and as their drinking water. Rivers plagued with siltation problems also create a hostile environment for some species which results in a drop in the fish population.

Being one of the main sources of proteins for the natives, it is easy to see how this is no longer just an environmental problem but also a human rights issue.

Conversation for a better future

It is not impossible to have economic security, modernisation, access and a healthy ecosystem.

Peter suggests the answer is as simple as -- better communication.

“There should be more engagements with locals within the areas and not just the village headman. Experts and independent bodies should also be consulted so a broader view of the matter can be seen so no voice is left unheard,” said Peter in relation to how we can improve the process of development efforts in Sarawak.

It does sound simple at first but there is a lot to learn from the locals in rural Sarawak. Unique to this state is the sheer number of natives that have grown with and from the land. Generations of wisdom and knowledge is left untapped. By going to where the people are and having these conversations with them, we can pinpoint their needs and even learn from them how to best coexist with the surrounding nature while creating good, sustainable income for the community. Some of the lessons we can take from the locals are how to grow agricultural produce and not harm the forest by practicing methods like shifting cultivation which has been practiced by the natives for generations.

Upskilling the local communities also helps create a better future. Incorporating age-old techniques such as the Penan methods of weaving with modern materials can spark new demand for handcrafted handbags and furniture, paving the way for new businesses, with increasing demand for such products worldwide. Add on improved infrastructure like paved roads, a reliable electricity grid, a steady supply of running water, and a stable internet connection and we can preserve the heritage and create opportunities both for the young and the old across the community. Such low impact infrastructure goes a long way in helping the local communities grow which, in turn, will help the overall economic development of Sarawak.

The Green Jewel of the Future

For more than 140 million years, Sarawak’s forests have been fighting for the betterment of the world but it is now facing imminent threats from within. Deforestation activities such as logging contribute as much as 30 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions each year – rivaling emissions from the global transportation sector.

However, even with such dire situations, conservationists are confident that the population of the Helmeted Hornbills can bounce back if we protect their habitat. Protecting these forests is critical in order to stabilize the climate, preserve global biodiversity, sustain the global economy, and protect the livelihoods of billions of people. This is where we come in. Malaysians need to rally behind Sarawak and help it survive and thrive. Both as an economic powerhouse for Malaysia and as the lungs of the world.

We have a long way to go in building a sustainable future for Sarawak but it is not impossible. Spreading the good message to help maintain the ecosystem and a stronger push for better change will help not just Sarawakians, but also everyone else. Such delicate ecosystems like the rainforests of Sarawak is vulnerable to aggressive actions and yet the same, delicate ecosystem helps the world store a huge amount of carbon that we spew out daily.

It is our duty to protect the forests of Sarawak.

Let the print behind the RM100 note serve as a reminder for us to balance the scales and not sacrifice millions of years of flora and fauna, just for another stack of money.

The forests have been sustaining us since before Malaysia was born. Since before humans walked the Earth. Now, it needs our help. During this Malaysia Day celebration, I urged all of us to fight back so we can all share the treasure that is Sarawak, be it from the thick concrete jungle of Kuching or in the towering structures of Gunung Mulu, we fight for all that dwells within.

I leave you now with a rap video by one of the contestants of the #FlowRapChallenge for us to ponder on what we’ve done and how the future can still be bright.

For Sarawak. For Malaysia. And for the world.