THE Lawas highlands in northern Sarawak are home to the Lun Bawang, an indigenous community whose name literally means “people of the land”.
For generations, their connection to the land has been part of daily life, with families practising agriculture both as livelihood and inheritance.
Among the most important crops is Adan rice, grown in areas such as Long Sukang, Long Luping and Long Kerebangan, and valued for its fine texture and fragrance.
In recent years, Arabica coffee has appeared more widely across these highlands as farmers gradually turned to it to strengthen and diversify household income.
Today, a homegrown brand has emerged in these highlands.
Developed by Koperasi Usahasama Long Sukang Lawas Bhd, the Linawa brand brings together Adan rice and Arabica coffee under a single entity, turning scattered harvests into a structured, community-driven value chain.
The cooperative plays a central role in this system, aggregating and purchasing coffee cherries directly from farmers across Lun Bawang villages, helping to organise production and strengthen consistency.
Linawa’s journey began with the Towards Uplifting Lives Programme (TULiP), a social impact initiative by PETRONAS implemented in collaboration with Yayasan Hasanah and Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS through its Institute of Smart and Sustainable Living, aimed at strengthening community entrepreneurship and improving rural livelihoods in Lawas.
Since 2021, the programme has supported the community with entrepreneurship training, mentoring, product innovation, capability building and market access.
PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd (Sarawak Assets) senior general manager Shalby Reduan said the transformation reflects meaningful progress built alongside the community.
“Through the TULiP initiative, we have seen how small-scale efforts gradually evolved into a more structured and sustainable value chain. It reflects the way the community has strengthened its organisation and deepened its agricultural activities over time,” he said.
Shalby added that the focus has always been long-term capability building.
“The objective is to ensure that communities are equipped with the skills and confidence to sustain and grow these initiatives independently.”
Before TULiP, many farmers faced the same challenge: distance. Long journeys over rugged terrain, limited processing facilities and fragmented market access meant raw produce was sold at lower value points.
The cooperative’s president, Sulaiman Palong, who is also Kampung Berayong Tengah village chief, said the change had been felt on the ground.
“Previously, farmers had to travel far just to sell their produce in town. It was tiring and the returns were often uncertain,” he said.
A production facility was later established in Long Sukang for collection, storage, roasting and packaging. This strengthened quality control while keeping more value within local hands.
Within this system, Linawa’s product range centres on the two highland staples of Adan rice and Arabica coffee.
The Adan rice comes in white, red and black varieties, cultivated using highland water sources that contribute to its distinctive aroma and texture.
One of Linawa’s signature innovations is Adan Arabica coffee, a blend that combines Arabica beans with Adan rice to create a product with flavour depth and nutritional value.
As the brand grew, it began to gain recognition beyond the highlands, receiving an Outstanding Award and Silver Award at the Malaysia Technology Expo Sustainable Energy and Green Technology International Innovation Awards.
Another milestone came with halal certification for both Adan rice and Arabica coffee product lines.
This achievement strengthens its market position and allows the brand to expand beyond online channels into wider retail distribution, including hypermarkets across Sabah and Sarawak.
For the community, these milestones represent more than commercial success. They reflect growing recognition that highland produce can meet modern standards while remaining rooted in tradition.
Over the years, Koperasi Usahasama Long Sukang Lawas Bhd has grown into an organisation with 30 members working collectively to support farmers and manage Linawa.
Data from the Lawas District Agriculture Department showed that 94 farmers in Long Sukang were managing over 28ha of farmland as of 2026, with coffee cultivation increasing significantly since TULiP’s inception.
“Compared to the period before 2021, the number of coffee trees planted has increased tenfold.
“Previously, there were only about 700 coffee trees in the area, whereas this year the number has grown to 7,230 trees,” Shalby said.
“This reflects a meaningful milestone in strengthening local livelihoods and advancing community development in the highlands.
“It also demonstrates PETRONAS’ commitment to supporting rural communities through sustainable economic opportunities and efforts to strengthen local skills and capabilities.”
For Sulaiman, the TULiP project has benefited the community tremendously.
“We truly appreciate PETRONAS’ support, as more farmers are now taking up coffee planting because they see its future potential. We are also grateful for the guidance along the way,” he said.
After five years of development, Linawa was officially handed over to Koperasi Usahasama LongSukang Lawas Bhd recently.
Shalby said the handover reflects TULiP’s focus on building local capabilities and creating a foundation for long-term community-led growth.
“With Linawa now under the full stewardship of the cooperative, PETRONAS is confident the Lun Bawang community will continue building on the strong foundation established over the past five years and take the brand to even greater heights,” he said.
PETRONAS remains committed to creating positive social impact through strategic partnerships that empower communities, strengthen resilience and support long-term socioeconomic sustainability.
