Until illegal logging or felling is tackled, I will not issue any more new timber licences,” he told reporters after opening the 3rd Civil Service Integrity Seminar here yesterday. The 554 enforcement officers attending the seminar are from the Forest Department, Land and Survey Department, Sarawak Forestry Corporation, local government, government statutory bodies, police, Sarawak Palm Oil Plantation Owners Association, and Malaysian Palm Oil Board. Adenan, also Minister of Resource Planning and Environment, said illegal logging had even occurred at the Meludam National Park in Sebuyau and Bukit Tiban in Bintulu. “Forest officers would be armed, and I expect results. Enough is enough. More of the same is not acceptable,” he said, adding that this illegal activity was affecting the state’s coffer. He also warned timber licensees not to log outside their designated areas. “Timber licensees must keep logging to within their own area and not `raid’ other areas.” On another matter, Adenan said the state would be creating more national parks to bring the tally to one million hectares. Currently, the gazetted area spans 800,000 hectares. “We are confident this can be done. Our target is 10 per cent of the state’s land mass to be under national park and wildlife sanctuaries.”
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 08:03:14 +0000
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