Tobpinai Ningkokoton Kuburuon Kampung (TONIBUNG) or Friends of Village Development is an Indigenous People-led organisation which aims to improve the livelihoods of Indigenous People and rural communities in Sabah and Sarawak regions of  Malaysia. Since the early 2000s, Tonibung’s work has centred around addressing access to renewable energy by developing community-based renewable energy systems, such as micro-hydro and solar power, which bring clean, sustainable electricity to remote Indigenous communities. This is particularly important in Malaysia’s context, where energy access is uneven, and rural Indigenous communities are often left behind.

In 2013, Tonibung launched the Centre for Renewable Energy and Appropriate Technology (CREATE) Borneo as its training and micro-hydro assembly facility to provide sustainable livelihood opportunities to Indigenous youth and educate them to lead their communities into a clean energy future. Tonibung’s approach to their work is based on community self-determination, non-extractivism, centered on community ownership, protecting Indigenous Customary Rights, and promoting democratic governance also known as hukum adat (while using open-source and local technology to build and renew energy infrastructure.

Tonibung’s workstreams are:

• Installment of Renewable Energy Infrastructure: Through CREATE Borneo, Tonibung works with rural and Indigenous communities in Malaysia (especially in Sabah and Sarawak) to install appropriate renewable energy infrastructure. Forty micro-hydro projects have provided clean and reliable electricity to more than 5000 Indigenous Peoples so far. More recently, Tonibung has been assisting communities in the border area of Indonesia and Malaysia through a partnership with Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Indonesia (AMAN).  Tonibung is also a leading partner of the Right Energy Partnership with Indigenous Peoples (REP). This Indigenous-led, multi-stakeholder initiative aims to address energy access and human rights issues for Indigenous communities worldwide, to provide at least 50 million Indigenous Peoples access to renewable energy by 2030.
• Training Indigenous Energy Engineers and accompaniment for Indigenous communities: Tonibung provides education and training on renewable energy technologies to Indigenous communities. This helps communities develop the skills to implement and maintain energy solutions, fostering self-sufficiency and resilience. Tonibung has trained over 100 Indigenous technicians, enabling them to design and sustain micro-hydro and solar power systems.
• Research and development: Tonibung conducts research and technology development to improve renewable energy infrastructure, especially using open-source technologies and local supplies. Their research has led to locally developed technology rather than relying on imported parts and technologies.
• Advocacy: In collaboration with REP, a global network of Indigenous Peoples for energy transition, Tonibung engages in discussions with governments and policymakers in Malaysia, Asia and globally to ensure that Indigenous voices are included in energy policy development. Tonibung seeks to strengthen its advocacy efforts by collaborating with NGOs and policymakers to promote regulatory frameworks that support decentralised energy systems and Indigenous rights.
• Legal Support and Rights Recognition: Tonibung supports legal frameworks that protect Indigenous land rights and access to energy resources. This includes providing training in community mapping using GPS surveys and GIS technology to produce community maps of customary land and territories advocating for the recognition of customary land rights, which are often overlooked in large-scale energy projects.