FOUR cases of illegal logging involving 11 suspects had been brought to court between March last year and October this year.
Additionally, 10 cases involving 18 suspects are still under investigation in line with the state government’s all-out efforts in combating illegal logging.
“A total of 168 cases involving 333 suspects for various offences have been investigated of which 29 suspects have been arrested. Of these suspects, 18 are in Kuching, three in Bintulu and eight in Miri. Over the same period (March 2014-October 2015), 116,515 cubic metres of illegal logs worth RM7.6 million have been seized,” Assistant Minister of Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh said in a reply to Yap Hoi Liong (DAP-Dudong) in the august house yesterday.
Yap posed his supplementary question on whether any investigation had been carried out to determine the nexus between illegal loggers and timber licence holders within the concession areas.
Len Talif (PBB-Belawai) responded by saying he did not get the question.
Assembly Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar chipped in: “The question is whether there is any arrest.”
Asfia’s account was immediately interrupted by Yap who asserted: “Investigation. My question is, let me elaborate, whether the logging activities committed by the contractors were outside or nearby the legal licence’s concessionaire, and whether any investigation was carried out to determine the nexus between the illegal loggers and concessionaire within the vicinity.”
On this, Len Talif replied: “Just to give you an example, the type of offences that are being committed.”
Yap, who appeared rather impatient, cut off the assistant minister: “No, I’m not asking about the type of offences. I know the type of offences. My question is (there) any investigation carried out to determine whether there is any connection between the contractors and the licensees.”
Len Talif insisted that he had to offer the background on the various offences committed and asked Yap not to jump to the conclusion that his reply might not be relevant.
“There are a lot of offences committed inside and outside the licensed areas by anybody, whether by licensees or people from outside,” he said, mentioning logging without licences, logging without abiding by the procedures and processes, infringing the licensing regulations and logging using expired licences as among the offences.
“Back to your specific question with regard to the area, there are offences — 186 cases involving 333 suspects allegedly committing various offences have been investigated. Of the number, 29 suspects have been arrested.”
Len Talif reiterated the reply he gave earlier, in which he provided the breakdown on where the 29 suspects were nabbed as well as the number of cases being brought to court and still under investigation.
Yap, who seemed annoyed, remarked: “No, you did not answer my question.”
On this, Asfia blocked Yap’s floor by ruling: “No, no argument. You move to your second supplementary question, if any. You do not argue with the assistant minister.”
Yap later proceeded, stating: “On the newspaper, it is confirmed that RM500 million worth of suspended accounts were unfrozen as confirmed by MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission). I take it that the account-holders are not guilty of any illegal logging activity.”
He then enquired whether the state government would offer any remedy or compensation to the account-holders concerned as a result of the account-freezing exercise.
Len Talif responded: “It is not within the ambit of this question, so you must ask the competent authority to answer.
“I will only answer questions relevant to my ministry and my department. So are you defending the illegal loggers in this case? You are defending the illegal loggers.”
Asfia then ruled: “Member for Dudong — first, you cannot put the question based on newspaper report. Second, he (Len Talif) is not the director of MACC.”
Len Talif was quick to add: “Salah orang lah (wrong person, posing the question to a wrong person).”
At a press conference later, Yap insisted that Len Talif did not answer his question, which he (Yap) described as ‘simple and straightforward’. On the unfreezing of RM500 million worth of accounts, Yap said if those account-holders were guilty of illegal activities, the money should have been confiscated, and the account-holders charged in court.
“With the unfreezing, they (account-holders) are not guilty, and it is normal that they be accorded remedies. But when I asked this, he (Len Talif) was evasive, which is very disappointing. The account-holders have suffered injustice because they could not utilise the money for the operation of their companies — (their accounts) should not have been frozen in the first place.”
Chong Chieng Jen (DAP-Kota Sentosa) who was also present, added: “After more than a year (of) all-out war against illegal logging, after freezing accounts worth RM500 million for more than 90 days, only four cases were charged in court. That speaks so much about the incompetence of the forest enforcement unit.”