Despite rising criticism over deforestation and human rights abuses, Sarawak is maintaining its target of 2 million hectares of oil palm plantations by 2020, reports Malaysian state press.
Speaking with Oxford Business Group, Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang, Sarawak’s Deputy Chief Minister II and also State Minister of Modernization of Agriculture and Minister of Rural Development, reiterated the two million hectare oil palm plantation target announced last year. Sarawak presently has around 1 million hectares of oil palm.
Expansion will target native customary rights land (NCR) — areas allocated to indigenous populations.
Conversion of NCR has been contentious in Malaysia. Forest-dependent people like the Penan have at times objected to plantations, only to have their land developed by state-backed companies. Court rulings in favor of indigenous users have been ignored by Sarawak authorities.
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