Awang Tengah (fourth left) handing over a Honorary Wild Life Ranger certificate to one of the 40 newly-appointed wildlife rangers in Miri.
MIRI: Those involved in illegal logging are only a small group as the majority of Sarawakians, industry players and NGOs are behind the government in the fight against environmental destruction.
In fact, most Sarawakians are in favour of good practices and sustainable forest management to conserve the state’s environment.
This was said by Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who is also the anti-logging enforcement committee chairman, when officiating at the appointment of 40 honorary wildlife rangers for Saremas Plantation in Miri yesterday.
“If we stand together, we, the majority (the people), can overcome this small group involved in illegal logging,” he said.
Thus, the minister called for collective public effort to combat the illegal loggers and prevent them from robbing the state of its resources and revenue and the wanton destruction of flora and fauna.
He pointed out that illegal loggers also damaged public roads with overloaded lorries.
Pointing out that enforcement was ongoing, he said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem was all out in the war against illegal logging even when he (Adenan) was still the Minister with Special Functions in the Chief Minister’s Office.
“The state government is committed, and we are calling on the people, corporations and NGOs to come out and help combat illegal logging as we have already put in place conservation programmes, sustainable forest management and good practices for quite some time,” he said.
He commended the public for giving information on illegal logging which led to more effective enforcement, and warned that those engaging ‘gangsters’ in their illegal logging activities would be brought to justice.
Meanwhile, he reminded timber licensees and industry players to adhere to the conditions of their licences and log only in approved areas.
At the same time, he warned enforcement officers against colluding with those involved in illegal logging activities.
On a related matter, he encouraged more oil palm plantations in the state to participate in conservation efforts and comply with the stipulated conditions for land alienation for plantations.
He said there would be no compromise on regulations regarding conserving buffer zones between plantations and rivers, compliance with Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report and establishment of mills with oxidation ponds to prevent discharging of effluents into rivers.
To the honorary wildlife rangers, he hoped their appointment would lead to greater conservation culture among plantations, particularly involving endangered wildlife species in their areas of operation.
Assistant Minister for Communication Datuk Lee Kim Shin, Assistant Minister of Resource Planning Datuk Naroden Majais, Lambir assemblyman Ripin Lamat, Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau, Sarawak Forestry chief executive officer Wong Ting Chung and Wilmar International general manager (Group Sustainability) Simon Burat were among those present at the function.