Opposition to honour for Sarawak minister
ADELAIDE -- The Students Association of the University of Adelaide, Friends of the Earth Nouveau and the Native Forest Network of South Australia have expressed disappointment at the university's decision to award the chief minister of Sarawak, Datuk Taib Mahmud, an honorary doctorate degree.
Mahmud completed his studies at Adelaide University in 1960. The university argues that he has been an active supporter of the Law School since graduation and has been instrumental in furthering links between Australia and Malaysia.
However, environmentalists say Mahmud shares responsibility for logging operations in Sarawak which are destroying the remaining stands of rainforest and the way of life of the indigenous people who rely on it.
One indigenous group in Malaysia, the Penan, are among the last nomadic hunter-gatherer tribes left in the world. Their non-violent struggle to save the forest has met with violent force from the police and military.
Spokesperson for Friends of the Earth Jo De Silva said, “It's not just the Penan people who are having their land ripped off. Just two weeks ago four Berawan people were arrested for protesting about the chief minister's daughter and son taking their land to build a five star hotel at the Mulla caves area.”
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