65,000 demand that ABB withdraw from Sarawak

ABB must stop doing business in the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo, according to 65,318 people. Last Monday, the Bruno Manser Fund delivered the petition to the ABB corporate office in Zürich Oerlikon. Ulrich Spiesshofer, the CEO of the Swedish-Swiss firm, was the target of the petition.

During a meeting with many ABB personnel, the Bruno Manser Fund group submitted the petition. The undersigned demand that ABB end its partnership with Sarawak Energy, a Malaysian energy provider.

Additionally, ABB is urged to take action to protect the rainforest and help the indigenous populations impacted by the Murum Dam’s human rights crisis.

ABB Malaysia has provided the turbine governor and associated technical equipment for the contentious Murum Dam and has identified Sarawak Energy as one of its primary clients, according to research undertaken by the Bruno Manser Fund last year.

The state-owned corporation Sarawak Energy has frequently awarded contracts to businesses connected to the family of Abdul Taib Mahmud, the state’s current governor and previous chief minister.

During Taib’s 33 years as Chief Minister, the Taib family acquired shares in more than 400 enterprises globally and amassed fortune over $20 billion dollars. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is presently looking into the Taib family (MACC).

When ABB and the Bruno Manser Fund met, the corporation minimised its connections to Sarawak Energy, the company building the dams. ABB steadfastly declined to divulge any details on its commercial dealings in Sarawak. Questions on the scope of their operations in Sarawak, as well as those about the state of the human rights and corruption, were unanswered.

The Murum Dam is the first in a line of massive dams in Sarawak’s rain forest. It is forcibly displacing 1500 indigenous people while flooding 250 km2 of tropical jungle. Over 2,300km2 and a population of between 30,000 and 50,000 people will be impacted by the 12 dams that are being planned.

The Brazilian-based Bruno Manser Fund (BMF) is dedicated to defending the rights of indigenous forest peoples and endangered tropical rainforests. The group focuses on Sarawak, a state in Borneo that belongs to Malaysia. Swiss environmentalist Bruno Manser, who has been missing since his most recent visit to Sarawak in May 2000, launched the Bruno Manser Fund.

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Alex Jones

Alex Jones is a tech-savvy editor at World-Wire, renowned for his expertise in writing detailed technical articles and user-friendly how-to guides. With a background in Information Technology, he excels in demystifying complex tech topics. His work is highly valued for its accuracy and practicality, earning him awards like "Innovator in Tech Journalism" in 2023. Alex's role at World-Wire is pivotal in making technology accessible to a broad audience.

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