Guns for Sabah forestry officers

Poachers and illegal loggers have 'forced' Sabah Forestry officers to take up weapons as a means to better protect themselves and the state's forest.

SANDAKAN: The Sabah Forestry Department is arming itself with firearms to battle syndicates stripping the state of its precious timber resources and wildlife.

Its director Sam Mannan said the department had received the go-ahead to arm its enforcement officers with shotguns and handguns, for self-protection and as a deterrent to attackers, while discharging their duties.

The armed officers will guard the last remaining forest in the state against poachers and illegal loggers who have been emboldened enough to attack unarmed personnel in the past.

Mannan said the arming of the field officers was the culmination of several years of planning for the better protection of the forests, wildlife, government property and the lives of personnel on duty.

He said that it was decided in 2009 that the department would re-arm its personnel for protection as had been the practice during the colonial days.

“The permits and licences were subsequently approved by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP); we then purchased the appropriate weapons,” he told the press during a ceremony to hand over the firearms at the department’s headquarters here.

Forestry field officers have on numerous occasions been attacked while carrying out their enforcement duties.

The department’s buildings and vehicles have also been vandalised.

In 2009, a group of poachers attacked the Ulu Segama-Malua district forestry office base camp where district forestry officer, Indra P Sunjoto, was sheltering and according to reports, the officer was lucky to survive the attack.

Only for self-defence

In early 2010, forestry workers involved in forest restoration works and the destruction of illegal oil palm at Ulu Kalumpang Forest Reserve came under fire.

The officers were forced to withdraw from the area because they were unable to defend themselves.

Mannan said though his staff would now be armed, they were under strict orders only to use their firearms for self-defence.
“The firearms are to be used only as a last resort and being lethal instruments, they are to be handled with care and respect,” he said.

Mannan added that among the problems the department was facing in forest management and protection was the prevalence of international syndicates which he hinted was based in a neighbouring country.

He said the syndicates send illegal loggers in small boats to fell and strip mangroves in the remote swamp forests of northern Sabah and smuggle them out to their home country.

“These marauders can be armed and dangerous,” he said, adding that wildlife poaching continues to be a menace despite constant surveillance by the department and other enforcement bodies.