DAP Sabah Vice Chairman cum Sri Tanjong Assemblyman Chan Foong Hin
Sabah logging truck by James P. Rowan
Political will and determination is vitally important in combating illegal logging involving syndicates with high-level connections. I welcome the new Chief Minister’s bold action and no mercy directive against illegal loggers. Apparently, there is more transparency in Sarawak under the new leadership of Tan Sri Adenan Satem.
The Malaysian Anti-corruption Commission (MACC) is investigating into complaints of illegal logging in Sarawak that purportedly resulted in losses amounting to at least RM100 million a year. An operation, dubbed ‘Ops Tukul’ was undertaken with the cooperation of the police, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency as well as the Sarawak Forestry Department.
MACC has frozen 30 accounts belonging to the 10 logging companies involved, totalling RM18 million. Based on MACC’s observation for nine months, Sarawak had lost RM43 million to illegal logging. The losses at each year not no less than RM100 million.
However, it is interesting to compare the official figures of illegal logging losses in Sarawak before and after change of state leadership. It was reported that “losses suffered due to illegal logging stood at 0.01 per cent of the RM731 million in revenue collected from timber taxes and royalties in 2010”, according to the then Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister of Sarawak Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan (Borneo Post, 22 March 2012).
How much is 0.01 per cent of the RM731 million?
It’s RM73,100 only.
How could illegal logging losses in Sarawak increase sharply to at least RM100 million per year within 5 years time? Obviously, the previous figure is inaccurate and misleading!
Does Sabah also have the similar problem? It is reported that the timber royalty in the state has been dropping drastically over 60% from RM465 million in 2005 to RM173 million in 2012. How much of Sabah illegal logging losses?
In addition, unchecked forest clearing posed a hazard to environmental sustainability.
I call upon MACC to step in to investigate the illegal activities and serious leakages in the timber royalty collection. I understand it is an uphill task in putting an end to corruption in the illegal logging sector as as many quarters with vested interest involved. However, it is vital to address the issue seriously.
