Adenan (centre) flanked by Awang Tengah (left) and Len in a jovial mood before the press conference.
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem says the government is considering terminating more than half of the existing Occupation Ticket (OT) timber licences in phases, while those due for renewal will only be considered based on merits.
He stressed that the reduction of licence holders was to consolidate the logging industry and effectively regulate and monitor to mitigate environmental degradation as a result of logging.
“As part of our continuous efforts to curb illegal logging in the state, we will not issue any more new forest timber licence in state land and permanent forest estates (PFE),” Adenan said at a press conference at his office at the new State Legislative Assembly (DUN) complex here yesterday.
Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan and Assistant Minister of Environment Datu Len Talif were among those present.
Adenan disclosed that the government had issued 572 timber licences of which 204 were in the state land and PFE, 155 OT and the rest were mangrove and belian(hard wood) licences.
According to him, the existing Timber Licences and OT licences produced the bulk of the state timber logs amounting to almost nine million cubic metres last year, which he said should be sufficient to feed the local timber industries with excess for export.
The Chief Minister stressed that he was aware that timber industry had brought prosperity and economic development to the state for the last 90 years and would likely contribute further development to the state.
“To ensure the sustainability of the industry in years to come, we have to get rid of those unscrupulous and irresponsible operators who are only interested in quick gains,” the Chief Minister asserted.
Adenan also reiterated his stand on curbing illegal logging, saying contractors or sub-contractors who violated the terms and condition of their licences would be the ones whose contract would not be renewed.
“The manifestation of the our commitment in combatting illegal logging can be seen by our action in reinforcing the institutional structures of Forest Department, Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), Sarawak Timber Industry Development Committee (STIDC) and relevant government agencies,” he added.
He disclosed that enforcement staff had been equipped with better logistic support, while the existing hyperspectral technology would be enforced with DRONES technology.
Adenan said the government was also now working to ammend the Forest Ordinance to increase the penalty for illegal logging to deter illegal loggers.
He said the Ordinance would be tabled in the coming May State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting.
Adenan also said that some existing areas which were steep and not workable would be extracted of timber licence and turned into Totally Protectes Areas (TPA.
“For such areas, it will be necessary for the licencee to relinguish the area,” Adenan said.