KOTA KINABALU – Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin has taken the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) state government to task over its lifting of an export ban on local timber imposed by the previous government led by Warisan.
The DAP lawmaker said the move highlighted the government’s inconsistent stand on conservation.
He said that it contradicts Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan’s embrace of forest conservation by promoting the controversial nature conservation agreement.
On December 28, the Vibes reported that Sabah chief forest conservator Datuk Frederick Kugan confirmed that the export ban will be rescinded, effective January 3 this year.
It was imposed on logs from Sabah by then chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal in May 2018.
The ban was aimed at maintaining log supplies locally and having them processed in the state, which would in turn create job opportunities and provide other economic benefits for locals.
“The problem with allowing log exports from natural forests is the reopening of potential illegal logging,” Chan said.
He was speaking during a press conference at the DAP office in Luyang.
Also present was activist Cheung Chau Seng, who claimed to have gathered evidence of illegal logging activities in Tenom since 2016.
Cheung said he filed at least three complaints to the Sabah Forestry Department and also the Sabah Integrity Unit two years ago.
He accused the authorities of ignoring him, claiming that he found out that a timber company’s logging licence had expired in 2015 but its contractor was felling trees.
“Further to this, the firm also managed to export these illegally obtained logs to Taiwan, avoiding paying royalties as required by the state laws,” Cheung alleged.
He further alleged that the firm had encroached into a class II forest reserve or virgin jungle reserve.
Meanwhile, Kugan said the claim that they had ignored the matter was incorrect, saying he will respond to it.
“The accusation that we are sweeping the matter under the carpet is incorrect. I will respond with our take on the matters raised,” he said.
Chan said that with the authorities’ alleged reluctance in taking action on Cheung’s claim and ignoring whistleblowers like him, it would be better for log exports to remain banned until “the chief conservator and the integrity unit grow a backbone.” – The Vibes, January 8, 2022.
Additional reporting by Rebecca Chong
