Transparency crucial to combatting illegal logging

2

KUCHING: Kota Sentosa assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen highlighted during yesterday’s DUN sitting on the Forests Bill, 2015 that until today the government had failed to obtain Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.

Hence, the European Union had refused to allow Sarawak or even Malaysia to enter voluntary partnership agreement, Chong said.

“I have highlighted EU may be a small market to our timber products in a direct sense, however, if we fail to obtain these certifications, they will impose conditions, prohibition or even restriction on their suppliers that have taken products from Sarawak,” he stated.

Chong continued, “There must be a system implemented to ensure the battle against illegal logging must be successful and such system must be transparent.”

He proposed this committee must be subject to external audit every six months and the audit report report must be tabled in the state legislative assembly.

Piasau assemblyman Alan Ling proposed that issuance of licenses to all the licensees with respect to forest produce should be made through the process of open tender and this proposal must be contained in this ordinance.

“I believe this is crucial to curb illegal loggings and maintain a sustainable forest management because the enforcement if effective is to make the whole process transparent,” Ling said.

He cited Brunei and Western Australia as examples whereby license and identification cards were issued not just to the licensees or contractors but also to workers.

Ling suggested the same thing should be done in Sarawak as with these registrations, appropriate training could be provided as mentioned in the Forests Bill 2015.

“The registration will also protect the welfare of these workers. If the Sarawak Forestry Department registered these workers, then we can ensure the welfare of these workers will be protected,” he said.