KUCHING: Sarawak is not likely to comply with the need to have international timber certification and timber trade regulation as required by the United States of America (US) and the European Union (EU).
Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan said this is because the state already has a comprehensive set of timber industry policies.
“Originally the international sanctions focused on the question of legality of the timber certification and questions regarding native customary rights (NCR) and human rights activities. These issues were irrelevant as they are well taken care of all this while by the government,” he told a press conference after officiating at the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) Integration and Innovation Day at Wisma Sumber Alam yesterday.
Awang Tengah, who is also Minister of Public Utilities and Minister of Industrial Development, however said the matter was still under negotiation, and the state was waiting for the decision of Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities headed by Tan Sri Bernard Dompok.
Awang Tengah was responding to timber certification issues faced by Malaysian Timber Certification Council and the increasing pressure for legality and sustainability of timber supply from importing
countries, particularly EU and the US.
The US has introduced the LACEY ACT as a means to curb illegal timber trade while EU has drawn up the EU Timber Regulation which is expected to be enforced on Jan 1, 2013.
Under this regulation, Malaysian operators must provide legality evidence such as certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) to the European buyers.
However, Awang Tengah gave assurance that the federal government and the state government had agreed to the issue of legality and the certifications.
“If the international requirement does not deviate from its objectives, we will comply. But for the time being, we will make it clear that we shall stand by the state timber policies.”
He also revealed that Indonesia, which has similar forest management and policies with Malaysia, had pulled out from the international requirements.
Awang Tengah said: “Malaysia will compromise if certain requirements are dropped and if it follows its original objectives, we shall comply. At the moment, our principle stands,” he said.
Awang Tengah reminded all STIDC staff to be innovative and committed to their departments. “We need to move on and be innovative to ensure sustainability of STIDC,” he said.
Among those present were Semop assemblyman Abdullah Saidol, permanent secretary to Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Datu Wan Alwi Dato Sri Wan Hashim, STIDC general manager Datu Sarudu Hoklai and STIDC deputy general manager Hashim Bojet.