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Log ban to avoid disrupting equilibriumBy TAN CHIN SIANG SARAWAK bans the import of logs from other countries because it can disrupt the existing 'equilibrium' of the timber industry in the state. Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corp acting general manager Len Talif Salleh said the state has more than enough timber supply to meet current local demand. He said total annual production of logs was about 13 million cubic metres, but the total installed capacity was only about nine million cubic metres. "As you can see, our buffer is quite substantial. So when you hear people say there is not enough logs in the state, what they mean is that they want cheaper priced logs. "I know that cheaper logs can be obtained from other countries, but if we allow such imports, the existing equilibrium of our timber industry will be disrupted. "We (Sarawak) may also be accused of helping to promote illegal logging (in other countries),' he told the Business Times in Kuching yesterday. Len Talif said importing timber from other countries also poses an environmental risk. "The state allowed the import of certain species of wood many years ago, including from Papua New Guinea, but the imports were banned after the discovery of certain types of insects embedded in the imported timber,' he said. . He stressed that the timber industry plays a very important role in the socioeconomic development of the state. It provides direct employment to 100,000 people and export earnings totalled RM5.46 billion, or 22 per cent, of the state's annual total export earnings. Len Talif also disagreed that sawmilling is a sunset industry. Sawmilling is only a sunset industry to those who still persist on using technologies that are 20 or 30 years old. To survive, these people must use modern technology to achieve efficiency in their operations,' he said. Len Talif said it is also not true that those who are thriving today owe it to their forest concessions, because there are many successful sawmillers who do not have forest concessions. Asked about forest plantations, Len Talif said in terms of volume, planted forests were many times better than natural forest. 'The average yield from the natural forest is one to two cubic metres per hectare a year, but the amount from the planted forest is at least 25 cubic metres per hectare a year. |
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25 September 2002
MTC’s
