Adenan: No more new timber concessions

Chief Minister says fed up of 'broad daylight robbery' of timber.

KAPIT: The Sarawak government is to stop giving out any more timber concessions, Chief Minister Adenan Satem said today.

“Enough with this broad daylight robbery of our timber. I will not tolerate it,” he said at a Meet-The-People session at the Civic Centre here today.

Sarawak has come under international criticism for massive deforestation after years of lucrative timber logging deals and land clearances in which jungle has been replaced by oil palm plantations.

A recently-published book on the Timber Mafia sets out an account of how timber and other deals were said to have enriched the former Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, who is now Yang di-Pertua Negeri.

Adenan did not give further details about the ban on timber concessions, but said the state was considering using drones to monitor illegal logging activities.

The state government had recently issued the Forestry Department with 29 four-wheel vehicles and 50 shotguns for it to carry out its duty in combating illegal logging in the state.

Last year alone, about RM41.16 million worth of illegal logs were seized in Sarawak.

Adenan said rural development would continue to be the focus of the state government despite the curb on timber.

He said those living in major towns had already enjoyed so many things in terms of development besides being able to handle themselves well.

“It is our policy to take care of the rural people’s interest as they still live in poverty,” he said.

– BERNAMA