KINABATANGAN – For years, foreign syndicates have been stealing tangar tree bark, which is in high demand in the Philippines, from Sabah’s forest reserves, said state police.
Tangar, a mangrove species, has bark that contains tannin, which is used in alcoholic beverages and food colouring.
Syndicates from the Philippines’ Kagayan Island sneak into the swamp areas of Kinabatangan and Beluran using canoes, navigating small and hidden rivers, towards the end of the year.
These groups usually camp out in the forest reserves for weeks until a bigger boat comes to pick them up, along with their illegal harvest.
Last December, two Filipinos who were arrested in the Terusan Forest Reserve admitted to being sent from Kagayan Island with four others to collect tangar bark.
They said they were promised a payment of 12 pesos (RM0.98) for every kilogramme of bark.
Supt Toipi Lamat, commanding officer of the 15th Battalion of the General Operations Force (GOF), said the syndicates usually target the Tabin Wildlife Forest Reserve and Kalibung Forest Reserve here.
These areas include the Kuala Maruap Forest Reserve, Terusan Forest Reserve (Kinabatangan) and Paitan Forest Reserve (Beluran).
“For them (syndicates), this is like a gold mine due to the high demand for tangar bark there (the Philippines),” said Toipi.
“The cycle of the crime is very well-planned, and seasonal. The intruders use bogo-bogo boats (canoes) to enter the forest reserve via small rivers. The workers are dropped off to illegally harvest our tangar bark, which is sent to the Philippines.
“This cross-border crime is serious. Not only do they enter Sabah and steal our resources, but their actions may also affect the ecosystem and protected wildlife species.
“The Royal Malaysian Police and Sabah Forestry Department are working closely together to stop this activity.”
A challenge faced by the authorities is the vast area in which the crime is committed, he said, and this sees the use of helicopters to spot syndicate members from high up.
“Recently, the Forestry Department had to rent a helicopter for thousands of ringgit to spot these Filipino groups.
“Following this, the 15th Battalion of the GOF made a discovery near a swamp area in Sg Inarab and Sg Pitas here last Saturday. We found 65 straps of tangar bark ready to be transported to the Philippines. The bark is believed to have been harvested from about 520 tangar trees.
“The bark weighed about 141kg and is estimated to be worth RM9,165. About 0.5ha of the mangrove was harvested.”
The syndicate members had fled when the authorities reached the area, he said, leaving behind eight tents and other belongings.
“This case, like the others, took place in a remote area, away from the public and big rivers, making (the crime) difficult to be discovered.”
Toipi added that another challenge faced by raiding teams is ensuring health and safety standard operating procedures against Covid-19 are observed at all times. – The Vibes, October 12, 2020
