Rimbunan Hijau

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Rimbunan Hijau is a Malaysian multinational logging company controlled by Malaysian billionaire Tiong Hiew King. The company has operations in many countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Vanuatu, New Zealand and Russia. In Papua New Guinea Rimbunan Hijau is the single biggest logging operator, and runs the country's biggest sawmill.

The company was established in 1976 and has an estimated annual turnover of more than 1 billion US $.

[edit] Controversy

Rimbunan Hijau has been heavily criticized by environmental and humanitarian organizations for alleged human rights abuses, ignoring indigenous peoples rights, political corruption and negligence of the environment. A recent World Bank report estimates that up to 70 percent of logging in PNG is currently illegal, further adding to the criticism.^[1]

Two groups that have made investigations and held protests against the company are Greenpeace and Rainforest Action Network. Rimbunan Hijau in turn has threatened to sue Greenpeace for defamation because of its report "The Untouchables - Rimbunan Hijau’s World of Forest Crime and Political Patronage" demanding that the group withdraw the paper. Greenpeace has declined to comply. ^[2]

Citibank, following a review of its own environmental policies in 2005, declared that it would require the client Rimbunan Hijau to obtain credible, independent, third party certification for its Papua New Guinea operations in the future. ^[3]