HRW accuses timber firm of violating indigenous rights in Malaysia’s Sarawak

A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) accuses Malaysian timber company Zedtee of logging without consent in the ancestral territory of the Iban Indigenous community Rumah Jeffery in Sarawak. The 54-page report details how Zedtee, part of the Shin Yang Group, allegedly violated local laws and the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme by operating without free, prior, and informed consent from the community.

Residents of Rumah Jeffery depend on the forest for food and income. Despite this, the Sarawak government granted Zedtee two leases—one for logging and another for a tree plantation—covering their entire territory. When the community protested, officials allegedly threatened arrests and issued an eviction order still in effect.

HRW found that Zedtee’s tree plantation was not certified under any sustainability scheme, despite state requirements. Critics say the case exposes broader failures to protect Indigenous land rights in Sarawak and highlights gaps in certification enforcement.

International buyers, including the EU, US, and Japan, are urged to uphold timber import laws. HRW calls on Malaysia’s federal government to strengthen legal protections for Indigenous land and regulate tree plantations more effectively. Zedtee and relevant authorities have not responded to requests for comment.