I am referring to your report Sarawak's logging giant answers critics . In the report, Sarawak timber conglomerate Samling, is quoted several times with statements which cannot be left unanswered.

I particularly refer to Samling's statements regarding satellite images of the Samling concessions in the Ulu Baram area of Sarawak. The image, dated from May 2001, was made by the Ikonos satellite in a very high resolution. It shows very clearly that the Samling company does not practice sustainable logging in areas where it claims to do so.

The satellite image [below] shows the boundary between two concessions of Samling Plywood (Baramas) Sdn Bhd (concession numbers TO 411 and TO 412) in the Upper Baram area of Sarawak. Both Samling concessions were part of the so-called Forest Management Information System Sarawak (Fomiss) project, a pilot project which ought to have shown, in its own words, the "commitment of the state of Sarawak to achieve sustainable forest management by the year 2000".

Even for untrained eyes, looking at the satellite image, it is obvious that the kind of logging practiced by Samling in the area is anything but sustainable and is the cause of severe damage to the local communities and the environment.

The Fomiss project came to an end in 2001 after the co-funding German government pulled out due to the ongoing protests by the Penan against logging activities in the area. Now, part of the two Samling Fomiss concessions - the very last virgin rainforest in the area - has been certified by the Malaysian Timber Certification Council MTCC.

The MTCC certificate was granted despite the ongoing Penan blockade and a pending land rights claim against Samling and the Sarawak government which had been filed in 1998.

We wonder how the MTCC label could be credible in Europe considering the Samling group's record of deception, disregard of Native Customary Rights claims and destruction of the environment, even in areas where it claims to have practiced "sustainable" logging in the past.

We believe MTCC should immediately revoke the certification granted to Samling because of lacking credibility and ask Samling to stop logging against the declared will of the local Penan communities.

The writer represents Bruno-Manser-Fonds Association for the peoples of the rainforest.