‘Revive what you have depleted’

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Sarudu (right) explaining the age of the timbers to Abang Johari at the KTS Group of Companies booth. Seen on the left is Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

KUCHING: Sarawak timber players have been urged to aggressively revive harvested forests as well as pursue research and development (R&D) to ensure sustainability of the timber industry in the state.

Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg emphasised yesterday that the two approaches were essential to help position Sarawak as a major player in the international market for tropical and timber products.

“Special attention must be given to develop the forest plantation in Sarawak to ensure sufficient industrial timber for downstream industry especially furniture-making. This will also reduce the harvesting pressure on our natural or protected forests,” he told a press conference after opening the 3rd Sarawak Timber and SMEs Expo at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here.

“More importantly, emphasis must also be given to R&D initiatives in order to grow our downstream industries and produce high value-added products for the export market,” he added.

The expo was jointly organised by the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) and the Industrial and Entrepreneur Development Ministry in conjunction with the state-level SME Week 2017.

Themed ‘Timber and Beyond’ this year, the biennial expo recorded a 48 per cent increase in participation compared to 2015, with 280 registered exhibitors taking a total of 494 booths.

Abang Johari, who has served in the government for 30 years, observed that the private sector had not put enough serious efforts into replanting forests as well as in R&D, which he warned will gradually deplete and diminish the wealth of Sarawak.

He thus called on the private sector and all stakeholders in the timber industry to replant trees especially indigenous tree species like bamboo and acacia in areas that have been harvested.

“We must create a sustainable and robust environment through R&D and best management practices so the global market will be in our favour, otherwise the market will boycott it (Sarawak),” he elaborated.

“I hope the private sector will reciprocate as what have been done so far are not satisfactory. We need to manage our resources properly to sustain our industry as well as for the export market,” he said.

These measures, Abang Johari added, were in addition to the policy introduced by former chief minister the late Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem that no more new timber licence would be issued.

Sarawak, he pointed out, has the potential to be Malaysia’s top contributor of furniture for export, notably because the state is the major producer of tropical timber and timber products.

“However, Sarawak is still not the largest producer in Malaysia as Johor is still in the lead despite Sarawak being rich in timber resources,” he said.

Recognising that the timber industry will continue to play significant role in Sarawak’s economic growth, Abang Johari hoped these approaches and strategies will help the state achieve its global position by 2030.

“We are committed to continue preserving our environment and protecting our forests which are the valuable wealth of Sarawak,” he added.

Earlier, Abang Johari witnessed the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) on sales of timber between six timber companies and respective buyers worth a total of RM80 million.

The six companies were KTS Group of Companies, Shin Yang Group of Companies, Ta Ann Group of Companies, Samling Group of Companies, WTK Group of Companies and RH Group of Companies.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, Assistant Entrepreneur and SME Development Minister Datuk Naroden Majais, Assistant Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Minister Datu Len Talif Salleh, Assistant Coastal Road Minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi, Assistant Transportation Minister Datuk Dr Jerip Susil and STIDC general manager Datu Sarudu Hoklai were among the distinguished guests present.