Graduates celebrate upon receiving their scrolls. — Photos by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: Twenty-three individuals have successfully completed their post-graduate diploma in applied science, majoring in Sustainable Tropical Forest Management – a course jointly-developed by Sarawak Timber Association (STA) and Lincoln University of New Zealand.
Sixteen of them received their scrolls from the university’s vice chancellor Dr Andrew West during a ceremony held at Wisma STA yesterday.
Of the lot, Nelson Bijack James Chas earned himself the Top Student (Overall) Award while Sato Junior Penguang was awarded with the Top Student (Without First Degree) Award.
Nelson is a forest certification manager at Raplex Sdn Bhd while Sato, who has been working at Jaya Tiasa Holding Bhd for 13 years, is currently an assistant manager of reforestation.
STA chairman Pemanca Datuk Wong Kie Yik said the diploma programme was designed to equip these graduates with up-to-date knowledge in various capacities such as public relations in negotiating with entrepreneurs or non-governmental organisations (NGOs), compliance or skills, implementation of procedures, auditing, planning as well as research and development (R&D).
He further mentioned that with the amendments made to Section 54B of the Forests Ordinance, the state government would phase in trained workforce for the entire forestry industry so that eventually, only trained personnel would be employed.
“STA is not only concerned about promoting and upholding the interests and well-being of its members, but also on raising the skills and knowledge of its workforce through appropriate courses and training in managing its forest resources, the environment as well as allied natural resources like biodiversity, water and wildlife.
“As part of the state government’s drive towards a properly trained workforce for better management of our forests, STA is working closely with state agencies, principally the Forest Department and Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) towards offering training and appropriately certifying trained persons to be sustainable forestry managers.”
Wong said the course was tailored to provide the opportunity for graduates working on sites and at logging camps at both supervisory and management levels, to enhance their skills on issues and challenges that they faced in sustainably managing forest resources.
The curriculum, he added, had been vetted by an advisory group that comprised representatives from relevant bodies including director of Forests Sarawak and chairman of Malaysia Timber Certification Council (MTCC) as well as those from SFC, Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC), International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Wildlife Conservation Society and Worldwide Fund For Nature (WWF) Malaysia.
According to him, planted forests are becoming a vital resource for the industry and as such, it is equally crucial to develop the appropriate skills among managers and supervisors towards successfully managing forestry operations.
“Hence, in meeting the skills needed for planted forest managers and supervisors, a new major – Sustainable Tropical Plantation Management under the post-graduate diploma in applied science – has also been developed by STA and Lincoln University.”
Wong also urged graduates to apply the knowledge and skills acquired towards assisting their respective companies in properly managing their concessions sustainably, efficiently and effectively.
Meanwhile, West described the course as ‘important’ to the state, STA, Lincoln University, tropical forestry as well as the graduates.
“The forestry industry is an important contributor to Sarawak’s economy and to the revenue of the state government. Sarawak’s forestry industry has an important position in global tropical timber trade.
“As such, ensuring that there is a sustainable forestry industry that stands up to international scrutiny is important to Sarawak. STA has taken on the role of developing and delivering training across all parts of the industry in Sarawak, and has been involved in skills training towards sustainable forestry for many years.”
West also said for the forestry industry, the practice of tropical forestry was in a period of immense change and the industry remained the focus of a great deal of outside attention.
“To a large extent, this is reflected in the importance of forest certification slated for assuring buyers that the timber they use would meet their expectation of forest management.”
He added that the course had been uniquely positioned to bring in the skills necessary to make this transition.
The ceremony yesterday was also attended by STA general manager Peter Kho, its senior manager Annie Ting, STA Mutual Sdn Bhd board member Lau Swee Nguong, and Lincoln University associate professor Dr Hugh Bigsby.