Sudarsono (third left) and Awang Tengah (third right) witness heads of agencies receiving a copy of the Inter-Agency Standard Operating Procedure for Performance of Forestry Function in Sarawak for Sarawak Timber Legality Verification.
KUCHING: The improved Sarawak Timber Legality Verification System must be monitored and enforced immediately to protect the image and reputation of Sarawak timber in the international market.
Sarawak Forest Department, Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn Bhd (SFC), Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) and Harwood Timber Sdn Bhd, under the auspices of the Ministry of Resource Planning and Environment, renewed their commitment by signing the Inter-Agency Standard Operating Procedure for Performance of Forestry Function in Sarawak for Sarawak Timber Legality Verification yesterday.
Permanent Secretary to the ministry, Datu Sudarsono Osman said the system would be able to better facilitate tracking of log movements along the chain of custody and in ensuring royalty assessment.
“It will enable us to expand the requirements and new procedures that will be performed on the ground,” he said at the ministry’s Integrity and Innovation Day 2015 held at the Old State Legislative Assembly Building here.
The inaugural event was organised by the ministry together with eight agencies under it: Land and Survey Department, Forestry Department, SFC, STIDC, Land Custody Development Authority (LCDA), Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB), Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) and Sewerage Services Department.
Sudarsono emphasised the need to ensure strict compliance in timber harvesting operations without compromising the environment so to ensure a sustainable timber industry for the state.
“Our officers on the ground need to act with integrity to ensure no loss of revenues in terms of royalties due to the state,” he said.
“In view of the remote and widely scattered locations of totally protected areas, we need to find innovative solutions to the way we manage and protect our forests.”
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, he reminded, had among other things, came down hard on various issues affecting the state, especially illegal logging and land issues.
“The Forest Department needs to take the lead in curbing illegal logging,” he said, quoting Adenan’s words that ‘every log must be accounted for’.
“Land and Survey Department needs to enhance enforcement to prevent illegal sand mining and ensure zero encroachment into totally protected areas such as natural parks, wildlife sanctuaries and nature reserves.”
As such, Sudarsono urged all departments and agencies under the ministry to improve processes and procedures in the way they do work in order to produce the desired results and achieve the objectives and mission of the government.
On the Integrity and Innovative Day, he said it showed the leaders’ commitment to make integrity and innovation a culture.
Also present were Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Morshidi Ghani, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Bumiputera Entrepreneur Development) Datuk Naroden Majais and Assistant Environment Minister Datu Len Talif Salleh.