SIBU – The Sarawak government is willing to revamp the state timber industry policy if it opens more opportunities for the involvement of Sarawakians.
Chief Minister Datuk Abang Johari Openg last night said among the aspects that were being considered and given emphasis were the reforestation and the participation of the people in the logging industry in the state.
“If we want to revamp the timber industry in Sarawak, we can,” he said at the special central-zone convention of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera here today.
He said the revamp of the policy should also ensure that the state’s forest timber licence holders fulfil their commitment to replant the forests they have explored, and replace the trees they felled to earn their income.
“We know that some timber licence holders, before getting the licence, said they would replant the forest they explored, and replace the trees they felled, but they never did,” he said.
Abang Johari said the state government had also acquired the drone technology to identify new areas where the trees could be felled after only six years of being planted.
He said the improvement of the timber policy in Sarawak would emphasise on the people’s involvement in the industry.
He added said the Sarawak government through the state Economic Action Council would carry out a comprehensive study on the matter before the revamp of the policy could be implemented.
“In terms of licencing, some were under (the purview of) Yayasan Sarawak and some under the STIDC (Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation), so, we may consider having a target group that can be the major stakeholder in the timber industry,” he said. – Bernama, October 4, 2020
