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 20 October 2003
KL to send protest note to Jakarta over timber allegation
MALAYSIA will make a diplomatic protest to Indonesia for instigating the
European Union (EU) not to buy Malaysia’s timber.
Primary Industries Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said he is preparing the
protest note and after liaising with Wisma Putra, he will be calling in the
Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Hadi Wayarabi Al-hadar.
“I am going to call the Indonesian Ambassador as soon as he is available to
hand over the note and voice out Malaysia’s strong protest,” Dr Lim told
reporters in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend after chairing Party Gerakan’s
monthly meeting.
Last week, the Jakarta Post quoted Forestry Minister Muhammad Prakosa as saying
that Indonesia had asked the EU to reject wood-related products from Malaysia
because most of them are believed to contain logs derived from illicit sources.
Muhammad has also accused Singapore and China of accepting timber illegally
felled in Indonesia and smuggled overseas. Other countries say it is Indonesia’s
responsibility to crack down on rogue loggers.
Dr Lim said Muhammad should not accuse neighbouring countries such as Malaysia
and others as it is undiplomatic.
“I have been trying to seek a meeting with him for the past one year to
discuss and offer my help, but he does not seem interested. What can we do?”
Dr Lim said.
He added that Malaysia took action in June last year by banning the importation
of any sawn timber and square logs of more than 60 sq inch originating from
Indonesia.
“Malaysia admits that it is not nice to take unilateral action to ban imports
of Indoneisan logs, but in deference to help Indonesia, we tell them that we do
not want your timber because it is spoiling our timber.
“It takes two hands to clap. I have aready stopped my hand and now Muhammad
must stop his by doing something to stop the illegal and rogue loggers as well
as smugglers.”
Dr Lim said that during the Organisation of Islamic Countries leaders’ dinner
last week, he had also met Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda.
“I asked Hassan to convey an enquiry to Muhammad on whether what he said in
the Jakarta Post was true,” said Dr Lim.
Dr Lim gave the assurance that Malaysia’s timber comes from sustainable forest
certified by independent assessors such as SGS International.
An industry sources said: “Overall, the feeling of the industry is that
Indonesia should not play this selfish blame game. We are playing right into the
hands of outside interests. It is better as fellow producing countries to meet
cordially.”
A Malaysian Timber Council spokesperson said it is against World Trade
Organisation rules for countries in Europe to selectively ban timber from one
country.
“The country can be accused of trying to snuff out the business of a
competitor,” said the spokesperson.
Indonesia is the world’s biggest exporter of plywood. It produced 6.3 million
cu m in 2002, followed by Malaysia (3.5 cu m), Brazil (1.3 cu m) and China (1.2
million cu m).
Indonesia’s forest cover fell from 162 million hectares in 1950 to only 98
million hectares in 2000.
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