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andrew C: look up "RL".

So Andrew C, you seemed to be another propagandic mouthpiece for Interhill there! So "nice" of Interhill to help your classmate's father who died in a timber accident there - what caused it in the first place I wonder? I remember taking a trip through Limbang, and reading about two young village men, who died due to being hit by the logs floating in the Limbang River, whilst fishing. Tell me then Andrew C, whose fault is that? I suggest anyone wanting to see also another most selfish greed of the timber corporations, that include destruction of the environment and no-concern at all for the poor local villagers who are still using rivers for transport and food, check out Limbang city centre where the river runs through the town (increasing logging and plantation activities also in ancient forest of the Limbang-Kalimantan border). And you can see how logs are floating so dangerously all over, and one can see how small boats or sampans (traditional boats without engine)of the villagers across the river trying to avoid the logs at so much unnecessary risk! And to all the supposedly native Sarawakians who cannot accept criticism of their timber corporations that include Interhill, what a joke that "outsiders" are supposedly to keep quiet about human rights abuses, wherever it is? Excuse me, you had better read up what Universal Declaration of Human Rights is about, and why we have International Human Rights Convention and Laws and even the UN for example - the world is interconnected as of humanity everywhere; and one fine day, such greedy and criminal timber corporations like Interhill, will be convicted under International Law as based on the UDHR! So Graham, please keep writing with your brilliant ideas!

I heard that everything that has to do with logging/forest destruction may not be published in the media in Sarawak. I heard that an article about logging/palm oil in National Geographic Magazine was forbidden in Sarawak. So it is logic that Malaysians/Sarawakians are thinking that the logging companies aren't responsible for forest destruction. This is al possible because of the corrupt Abdul Taib Mahmud, which benefits because of the logging in Sarawaks forests, of which 90 % has been destroyed by logging companies.

Andrew, I wasn't "making fun", nor was it an "attack", nor was I being "snooty" or "getting personal". I'm well aware of language barriers, and I reserve the right to correct a person trying to call me "ignorant". If you are over sensitive to people being corrected (while miscalling a person "ignorant"), thats just tough. Who knows, maybe I've highlighted an error from which she can learn. Nice attempt at distraction from the real issue though, which was; this is not just my ignorant opinion as the person was trying to say.

Hey Graham, it’s so not cool man to make fun of other people’s english. Just because there are others who may not be as educated as you are (because we come from different societies altogether – you should respect that), doesn’t give you a right to be snooty, man. No need to get personal in your attacks, man. Definitely not cool.

Carol, you asked "where any place in the whole world is like that?" and I shall tell you. The example I will give demonstrates how important it is to keep the rainforest intact. It is a source of food, income, and creates healthy communities. It is vital for sustainable development and real progress.

Cut the forests down, and yes, some natives will have a wage for a while - and they will need it! Because as the forest is destroyed, so is their food and water source. Other natives, e.g. the Penan, do not get a wage while their ancestral homeland is destroyed around them. They simply lose their sustenance and hence their lives. Here is the video showing the restoration of a rainforest sustaining indigenous communities;

http://www.ted.com/talks/willie_smits_restores_a_rainforest.html

The logging in Sarawak is unsustainable. What do you think will happen when the forest is gone? All the natives will work on the plantations? And spend their long days labouring for the paymaster, and spend their wages on food, water, land for housing, timber, all of which used to be free in the forest. You do not have the right to condemn people to this fate on their own land. And guess what, its not ME erecting roadblocks and demonstrations to prevent that happening.

Here is a video of Penans who trusted the government and logging companies to deliver them a better future like you describe. Listen to what the man says.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fockqVlfUXc

If you want an example of why the destruction of the forest must not happen in Borneo, consider Brasil where the forest has been destroyed and bleak plantations cover the land. The native people there are now economic slaves. The big profits go to the plantation owners, they work long hard days, they are paid a small wage, and they have no other source of sustenance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxcPgAVV4vU

Its sad that you are condeming the future generations of natives to a similar fate, all because you believe in the fallacy of development and short term profit from unsustainable logging. You talk as if the only way to educate native children is to destroy their forest.

As much as you like to pretend this is just my ignorant opinion(not "ignoring" - ironically you are ignorant of that word), the videos and other testimony of many indigneous groups speak for themselves.

By the way, just asking, am I the only person who noticed that something is not right here? BMF says 7000 people signed a petition askng for Accor to pull out, but only 1000 plus have signed on the petition page on this website. What’s that about?

Yes, Ting, you are right. I had a classmate in school last time. When he was 1 year old, his father died from timber accident and left just his mother and him. Interhill people actually support him and his mother every month non stop, until he was 17, even though they not required to. That one, I think really need to give them credit. And they did it quietly. So nobody really knew about it.

Graham, I am sorry but again you show how ignoring you are. 20 years ago, we have no school and the outside world nothing we know about. Now, our children can go to school and learn about the world. Some of the people in our kampung can work for the logging company and have income every month. That is good. How you can ask about which community is educated, employed, happy, healthy native people, I think how you can ask where any place in the whole world is like that, even native or not native. It is so funny that you talk that.

Also, please dont talking like you speak for most of the native or that you know really what is happen. When you talk about assaulted, raped and/or murdered, it really show you are ignoring and what is really happen you ignoring and no checking. I hope one day people will know the true story and people dont cheat.

"Graham, I think you are not from Sarawak so u don know all this." Ting KB

I disagree with your logic. Being 'from Sarawak' does not qualify or disqualify anyone from gaining knowledge of the plight of indigenous people, and the antics of logging companies. Talking to indigenous people is one method of obtaining first hand information. This I did. Watching documentary interviews with indigenous people is another way, this I also did, and I invite you to watch the links I posted below.

Simply being 'from Sarawak' and being exposed to controlled biased media would unlikely result in accurate knowledge of the situation, and it doesn't suprise me that logging companies would portray the kind public image which you refer to. The actual status quo of logging companies and the destruction of rainforest, and the resulting suffering of indigenous people is not something the logging companies, government, or newspapers they control would shout about.

I'd like some factual information, including precedents in Sarwak, to support the claims that "this hotel will benefit the people". Can you name one happy healthy educated employed modernised indigenous community resulting from logging and hotel building?