Len Talif: Forest Management Unit licensees can market products globally without restrictions

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Len Talif said licensees will also get premium prices because the timber and wood-based products produced are from legitimate sources in sustainably-managed areas. — Bernama file photo

KUCHING (May 20): Forest Management Unit (FMU) licensees can market timber as well as wood-based products produced in their respective licensed areas without restrictions to the global market, said Datu Len Talif Salleh.

The Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development said licensees will also get premium prices because the timber and wood-based products produced are from legitimate sources in sustainably-managed areas.

“The FMU implemented by the licensees has met various criteria and indicators set in accordance with the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS) standards, which are recognised internationally under the Programme for Endorsement for Forest Certification (PEFC),” he said in a reply to Dennis Ngau (GPS-Telang Usan) in the august House today.

According to him, many benefits will be enjoyed by licensees and the local community when the Sarawak government, through the Sarawak Forest Department, implements the Forest Certification Management Policy through the establishment of FMU.

He said community participation and skills had increased through various programmes in forest certification.

They included awareness programmes for Forest Management Certification, training for Reduced Impact Logging, training on High Conservation Value, and others implemented by the Sarawak Forest Department in collaboration with the Sarawak Timber Association (STA), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and licensors.

Len Talif said the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of the licensees also involved the provision of basic facilities such as maintaining and upgrading of roads, and other assistance to the local community.

“In principle, the logging roads built by the licensees are not for public use, as the roads are not of the prescribed public safety standards.

“However, locals can use the roads for free. At the same time, the licensees will always maintain the logging roads as long as they operate in the licensed area,” he said.