KUCHING: The Forest Department, through Ops Bintulu Miri, successfully foiled an illegal logging activity which resulted in the confiscation of 22,306 logs of various sizes worth about RM5.5 million.
Sapuan (right) shows a combination of photos of the seized logs from various areas in Bintulu and Miri. Looking on are Adenan and Awang Tengah (left). — Photo by Chimon Upon
The operation launched two weeks ago also seized two excavators used for illegal logging. However, no arrest was made, Forest Dept director Sapuan Ahmad told a press conference held at the State Legislative Assembly complex here yesterday.
All the logs were confiscated after the operators were found to have violated various offenses under the Forest Ordinance 1958 (Cap. 126) and non-compliance with Forest Rules. Offenses included timber felling outside the permitted areas or felling without licence, logs found without royalty or identification and encroachment.
A total of 17,064 of the logs were seized in various areas in Bintulu while 5,242 logs were confiscated in the Miri Division. The illegal operators are believed to have conducted their activities for the past one month.
“Three helicopters were used during the operation which targeted the forest areas of Bintulu and Miri as our main focus. We managed to make early detection using the latest technology developed by the Forest Department known as Hyperspectral Sensing Applications.
“This early detection would provide scan images to determine the exact locations of the illegal logging activities. In addition, we also received information from the public in the nearby areas. The helicopters were quick and effective in deploying the enforcement officers to the spots,” he said.
Sapuan added that other enforcement agencies such as General Operations Force and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency participated in the operation. The Ops Bintulu Miri was launched following the success of the department’s previous Ops Khazanah Rimba (Forest Heritage Ops) conducted in Sibu Division last month.
“The Forest Department will continue to launch various operations to enhance enforcement activities and combat illegal logging activities. Also in our scope of operations are spot checks on logging areas, sawmills and log ponds.”
A total of 134 areas were monitored throughout the two operations in Sibu, Miri and Bintulu.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem who was content with the success of the operation, said there were still a lot of work to be done to combat illegal logging in the state.
Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan and Assistant Minister of Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh were also present at the press conference.