Awg Tengah: NGOs’ claim unfounded

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BINTULU: The entrance of Sarawak timber trade products into the international market is not affected despite non-governmental organisations (NGOs) abroad accusing the state’s forest activities as having an adverse impact on the environment and wildlife.

GREENING CAMPAIGN: Awang Tengah watering the Ubah tree or scientifically known as Syzygium Campanalatum, at Similajau National Park as (from left) Len Talif, Naroden, Sarudu, Rundi and Ismail look on.

The state Planning and Resource Management second Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan who did not specify the value of the exports of wood products, said Japan still imported from Sarawak, although the country has strict requirements.

“Sustainable forest management practices that we used in the past few years have assured the International Timber Trade Organisation (ITTO) on our concern towards the environment,” he said at the launch of World Forestry Day at Similajau National Park near here yesterday.

Explaining the same thing, deputy permanent secretary to the Ministry of Planning and Resource Management Datu Len Talif Salleh said the NGOs who are trying to tarnish the image of Sarawak have no influence.

“NGOs can be considered as ‘mosquitoes’ and will not be able to influence the market in the country who is importing the wood products,” he said.

However, he said efforts to explain the Sarawak forestry policies in the foreign countries should be continued and intensified.

“If left alone, the allegations of NGO associating us with the destruction of forests, we are worried that it will have a long term implications,” he said.

He added the foreign NGOs were not accurate when they claimed Sarawak as not practising sustainable forest management.

Western media he said described Sarawak as having no more forests with all the hills flattened due to rampant logging activities.

He said the media was also spreading unreasonable claims that wildlife such as orang utans are in danger of extinction after their natural habitats have been destroyed and the forests have been cleared to establish oil palm plantations.

“This accusation is not based on reality, as Sarawak is still covered by forests in about 84 per cent of the 12.4 million hectares in the country,” he said.

The programme involves the provision of 42 licenses of forest plantation to private companies.

Meanwhile, the World Forestry Day was jointly organised by the Ministry of Planning and Resource Management, Forest Department, Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (Pusaka), Harwood Timber Sdn Bhd, Sarawak Planted Forest and Sarawak Timber Association (STA).

Also present at the ceremony were Assistant Minister for Planning and Resource Management Naroden Majais, Assistant Minister of Tourism Datuk Talib Zulpilip, Assistant Minister of Public Health and Utilities Dr Stephen Rundi, Bintulu Resident Ismail Mohd Hanis and Pusaka general manager Datu Sarudu Hoklai.