Dutch Govt bans Sarawak Logs

26 Oct 2011

KUCHING: Sarawak PKR today warned the state government of the seriousness of the logs ban imposed by the Dutch government if the state continues not to comply with the conditions of the international timber certification and trade regulations.

Other European countries may follow suit, See Chee How, state PKR vice-chairman said.

“Although the European countries only import about 2% of timber from Sarawak, the consequences of ignoring the conditions for sustainable forest management would be far worse than we can imagine,” he said.

“We do not see the impact now, but in the long run we will suffer,” he added, pointing out that PKR supports sustainable forest management.

See, who is the Batu Lintang assemblyman, said that he would raise the matter in next month meeting of the state legislative assembly.

He said most of Sarawak logs go to Japan which accounts for 38%, India 12%, Taiwan 10% and Korea 9% and the rest to America, other Asian and European countries.

“Such ban will affect timber exports from these countries as the finished products such as furniture will be traced coming from Sarawak,” he said.

“The EU will certainly ban those products later on,” said See.

The assemblyman who is also a lawyer and activist was asked to comment on the ban of logs by the Dutch government.

He said that the state government’s regulations governing forestation were well below world standards.

It does not respect the rights of the natives as well as respecting the decisions of the courts which uphold the rights of the natives over land.

The environmental impact assessments (EIA) in Sarawak are inadequate to assess sustainability and no guarantee can be given that Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS) certified forests do not disappear for other land uses such as plantations.

“The government leaders are only interested to make as much money as possible through their cronies. They just ignore long term benefits at the expense of the natives’ rights,” he claimed.

Sarawak is one the world largest exporters of tropical timber. In 2008 alone, more than RM7.4 billion worth of timber products and logs were exported.

In 2009 the exports of timber went down to RM4.15 billion and picked up in 2010 to RM4.75 billion.

The timber exports this year have increased by 20% from the previous year due to higher demands from countries like Japan which suffered due to earthquakes.

It is expected that the value of timber exports may increase to more than RM5 billion by the year end.

Another blunder by the Forest Department!

The following story confirms another blunder by the Forest Department, which has been ignoring the plight of the natives. It is only interested to make the cronies and families of ministers rich, richer richest, and the people poor, poorer and poorest. It happens in Sebangan and Sebuyau and everywhere. The Batang Rajang logjam is one of the aftermaths of indiscriminate logging.

Read the following story which appeared in The Borneo Post on November 6, 2010:

Revoke two timber licences – Malcolm

MALCOLM Mussem Lamoh (BN-Batang Ai) has appealed to the Forest Department to revoke two timber licences with immediate effect.

He said the licences issued had violated the native customary rights (NCR) over land in his constituency.

“The issuance of two timber licences on NCR land under Peranan Megamas Sdn Bhd and Mastika Jaya Plantation Sdn Bhd has affected SK Nanga Aup and six longhouses namely Danau, Ng. Kumpang, Bukong, Kandis, Kampung Paoh and Kampung Langgir.

“As those longhouses residents have been there for 13 generations, definitely some of their ‘temuda’, ‘pala umai’ and ‘tembawai’ may look like primary forests,” he said when debating the Supply (2011) yesterday.

Mussem pointed out that not much timber could be extracted from these areas except for isolated ‘pulau galau’ within the licensed areas.

“The revenues that can be collected by the government would not be enough to compensate for the physical damage to their land and crops.

“Moreover, disturbance will be brought about to the river ecosystem and pollution that will seriously affect the gravity-fed water supply for those longhouses,” he said.

He added that most of the affected land had been earmarked by the landowners for oil palm plantation with Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) and development of rubber estates with the Sarawak Farmers’ Organisation.

He also urged the department to be more prudent in issuing timber licences within NCR land where prior field verifications and consultations with the landowners should be done.

The Forest department must not solely rely on aerial photographs and outdated maps over the intended areas, he said.

“The special conditions attached to these types of licences should be properly explained to the affected communities and rigorously monitored by the relevant authorities to ensure the rights of the landowners would not be violated,” Mussem said.- The Broken Shield.