Kok (centre) hands over the award to Cheng (second left). Also in the photo are (from right) MTCC chief executive officer Yong Teck Koon, MTCC chairman Datuk K. Yogeesvaran and Secretary General of Ministry of Primary Industries Datuk Dr Tan Yew Chong.
Cheng (left) in a group photo with Kok (fourth left), MTCC officials and other winners.
KUCHING: KTS Plantation Sdn Bhd (KTSP) has once again proven itself as the leader of the forest industry in Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) at national level when it was honoured with the Leadership in Sustainability Award in conjunction with the Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) 20th anniversary celebration.
The award was presented by Minister of Primary Industries Teresa Kok, at the Award Presentation Ceremony during the MTCC 20th anniversary dinner held in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. It was received by the general manager of KTS Resources Sdn Bhd, Desmond Cheng Hua Tang.
For the record, in 2008 KTSP was awarded the Prime Minister Hibiscus Awards for the notable achievement in Environmental Performance. Winning the MTCC Sustainable Award is another achievement that endorsed the various effort by KTS Plantation in implementing sustainable forest management.
According to KTS Sabah Area operation manager Collin Goh, the effort to implement the concept of Sustainable Forest Management in Segaliud Lokan Forest Reserve (SLFR) has been initiated since 1993 through close collaboration with the Sabah Forest Department.
Subsequently, in 2009 KTSP has been the first Forest Management Enterprise in Malaysia that has been certified under MTCS since the establishment of the MTCC and has since continuously enhance the implementation of SFM principle through research collaboration with various scientific community such as Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Forest Research Centre, Sabah to name a few.
Early history indicates that SLFR which covers an area of 57,247 ha was characterised by pristine lowland dipterocarp forest until conventional harvesting has been granted in the 1950s. It has since been repeatedly harvested until early 90s. Simultaneously, the surrounding areas have been gradually converted into oil palm plantation, which covers a total of 75 per cent of the neighbouring land-use.
The massive conversion of forest into oil palm plantation has altered the natural habitat of wildlife and resulting SLFR as the immediate refuge as demonstrated by the high population of wildlife in the reserve.
Uniquely, the reserve is a home for all Rare, Threatened and Endangered (RTE) species registered in Sabah. Similarly along this border, the forest recovery has been found almost stagnant due to the sudden alteration of the ecology.
Realizing that long term tenant period of managing the reserve can only be economically feasible if managed based on a set of correct principles, hence in 1998 KTSP has made a significant voluntary initiative to implementation Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) principles before it was made mandatory in Sabah through the Sustainable Forest Management License Agreement (SFMLA) –the first prudent move that set apart KTSP on different trajectory from the rest in the industry. Since then, KTS has continuously revolutionize the industry with its Responsible, Proactive and Adaptive forest management approach -a commitment towards excellent in Sustainable Forest Management (SFM).
Once described as degraded forest, SLFR has now become an active production forest with healthy growing stock as well as a home for keystone species in Borneo such as Elephant, Clouded Leopard, Proboscis Monkey, Sun Bear and Orang Utan.
At least 75 species of mammals (excluding bats), 220 species of birds and over 100 species of reptiles, amphibians and fish have been recorded. To support the rich biodiversity and high population of wildlife, a total of 11 per cent of its area has been set aside for conservation purposes.
The conservation aspect of the reserve is continuously being enhanced through various research initiatives such as the Rawog Scientific Expedition and the on-going Wildlife Monitoring Programme from various field of expertise.
Meanwhile, a total of 17 MTCC certified Forest Management Unit nationwide has been nominated and duly evaluated for the award of four categories namely Category I: Social Sustainability and Empowerment, Category II: Product Innovation and Diversification, Category III: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Protection, and Category IV: Leadership and Sustainability.
Winners of the other category are Category I: Bornion Timber Sdn Bhd, Category II: One-Tech (M) Sdn Bhd, and Category III: Zedtee Sdn Bhd respectively.
The objective of this award is to recognise certified organization that have shown exemplary leadership and carried out inspirational initiatives in sustainability through the creation and implementation of procedures, plans, projects or initiatives that take into consideration the various aspect of sustainability.
The panel of judges consists of representatives from various stakeholders representing Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. Preceding the award night, an inaugural one-day conference with theme “Pushing Boundaries Advancing Sustainability” was held.
The conference which covers two session namely, I: Business Unusual – making Room for Disruptors and II: Envisioning the future of Certification Beyond 2030 was attended by representatives from various stakeholders of the industry.