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The Borneo Post , 15 January 2004 Illegal logging problems minimalSIBU Thur 15: The incidence of illegal logging and trading of timber is minimal in Sarawak, the Assistant Director (Prevention) of the State Forestry Department, Frankie Tieh Kah Siang, said yesterday. Writing in the December 2003 issue of "Pusaka", a bimonthly newsletter published by the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC), he said such problems only occurred along rivers in rural areas or in former licensed areas left for rehabilitation. "This usually involves longhouse folks who cut down the Engkabang (Illipeanut) trees and sell the logs to Chinese middlemen." He said with their longhouses by the rivers, they were "tempted to carry out such activities as a source of living to take advantage of the transportation network." "Other perpetrators have also taken advantage of the accessibility to former licensed areas." On the illegal trade of Indonesian timber, Tieh said it did not exist as the State Government had banned the entry of foreign logs into Sarawak. It has only allowed in rough sawntimber but these must have the necessary documents from the country of origin and it is only allowed via five designated entry points of Tebedu, Lubok Antu, Batu Lintang, Semantan and Biawak." Tieh said the barter trading of the product was nothing new as it had been carried out as early as the 1960's pursuant to the Border Trade Agreement between the two neighbours. On enforcement, he said Sarawak had sufficient laws and manpower to tackle such problems. "Our Forest Department is co- operating closely with STIDC itself, the police, the Customs, the army and the Sarawak Forestry Coporation Sdn. Bhd. (SFCSB) on this," he said. At the higher official level, he said the Ministry of Primary Industries was in constant contact and had periodical discussions with its Indonesian counterpart for the benefit of both countries. Tieh said as of September last year, the department had seized 4,064 logs, 7,370 rough sawn timber, 1,877 short logs, 2,102 mangrove poles and 6,895 pieces of sawn timber in its effort to counter illegal logging. It had also confisticated four excavators, two lorries, one tugboat and eight chain saws. During the period, it had received 63 public complaints and on its own had conducted 44 investigations. "Out of these complaints and investigations, 33 resulted in these seizures." Sarawak, according to Tieh, still had sufficient supply of raw materials to meet its own processing needs and even excess supply of logs for export. Meanwhile, the SFCSB Security and Asset Protection Unit which has taken over the enforcement role from the Forestry Department, will review and re-engineer some of its processes to plug loopholes. |
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