KUCHING: Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn Bhd (SFC) has suggested that the renewal of timber licences for areas with little merchantable timber for extraction be reviewed in preventing operators in such areas from encroaching and felling timbers from outside their own licensed areas.
SFC chairman Datuk Dr Yusoff Hanifah said the boldness of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem in declaring war against illegal loggers was most commendable and declared that the corporation would be with him all the way until his mission was accomplished.
“His decision not to issue timber licences until all illegal logging activities are stopped is also accepted as extremely wise and appropriate so I am further appealing to Chief Minister to also review the renewal of timber licences for areas with little merchantable timber for extraction.
“In my view, logging operators in such areas are more likely than not, involved in illegal logging from outside their licensed areas,” he suggested in his welcoming speech at the corporation’s 11th anniversary dinner at a hotel here Wednesday night. The event was graced by Adenan, who was accompanied by his wife Datin Patinggi Datuk Jamilah Anu.
Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Assistant Resource Planning Minister Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais and Assistant Environment Minister Datu Len Talif Salleh were also present.
Yusoff also appealed to Adenan to intervene in some matters related to the enhancement of sustainable forest management, protection of forest resources, improvement in logging efficiency and reducing accidents in the logging industry.
“They are, however, outside the jurisdiction of SFC, hence, my humble request for the chief minister’s intervention such as review of the registration of contractors and sub-contractors found to be involved in illegal logging and also the implementation of the Forests (Trained Workmen Rules 2007,” he asserted.
He claimed that there appeared to be a well-run underground outfit with so much money to throw around, thus the government at all levels, including law enforcement and regulatory agencies, affected individuals and communities must be well prepared to confront this menace from many fronts.
“We cannot just depend on frontline enforcement officers for this crucial campaign,” he said.
Earlier, he said that their effort in conserving Sarawak’s biodiversity over the years had paid off in the form of international recognition for biodiversity conservation through collaboration with world renowned institutions like the Hornbill Research Foundation and Kyoto University.
“We have been actively engaging the Hornbill Research Foundation of Thailand to provide practical training to our officers in hornbill survey techniques and I would like to applaud Sarawak Forestry professionals and scientists for their involvement in this project,” he highlighted.
He also informed guests at the dinner that SFC had taken a big step to address the lack of badly needed research and development (R&D) support for Sarawak’s fledging planted forest sector.
“After months of global search and subsequent negotiations, we have finally inked an agreement that will bring some of the most renowned scientists in plantation forestry to Sarawak.
“Their mission shall be three-fold, namely to fast track the acquisition of necessary R&D capacities in not only SFC but also amongst the licensed planted forest operations in the state, address the shortage of high-quality planting materials that have plagued the industry for many a year now and to resolve the pressing technical issues encountered by licensed planted forest holders which have hitherto gone begging for answers and resolutions,” he declared.