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http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/01/15/state-govts-anti-illegal-logging-move-bearing-fruit-adenan/
State govt’s anti-illegal logging move bearing fruit — Adenan
Jonathan Chia,
[email protected]
January 15, 2016,
Friday
Adenan (second left) being welcomed during his arrival at Damai Puri Resort and Spa. — Photos by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
Adenan (left) serenading guests with his rendition of Elvis Presley’s ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’.
A section of the guests attending the dinner at Damai Puri Resort and Spa on Wednesday.
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem believes that Sarawak has got rid of its ‘disease’ of
illegal logging due to the state government’s effort in curbing the vice.
Adenan said since taking action to curb illegal logging activities by ceasing the issuance of timber concession and
commercial plantation licences as well as the passing of the Forests Bill 2015 at the State Legislative Assembly last
year, there has been a significant impact on such activities.
“I think we have got rid of this ‘disease’. Before this, there was no raid conducted. People could do any how they
wanted, stealing timber left and right like as if it belongs to their grandmother.
“Almost every day, there is a raid and I have halved the number of occupation ticket (OT) licences because they used
this licence to steal timber left and right, with the cooperation from some forest officers who pretended not to know.
They don’t work in their own area,” he said at a dinner in conjunction with the meeting of environment ministers and
State Executive Council Members Responsible For Environment (Mexcoe) at Damai Puri Resort and Spa near here
on Wednesday.
Adenan added that as a result of the firm actions taken by the state government, the illegal activities are no longer
present; resulting in 36 illegal sawmills shutting down because there were no more raw materials and stolen logs.
“These are among the concrete steps we have taken and it bore results. Yes, our royalty had gone down because
less timber was felled. But good, I would rather sacrifice that for the long-term effect.”
He said the problem the state is facing now is pollution in rivers, adding that the clear water in the rivers had become
‘kopi susu’ (milky coffee) because timber companies didn’t follow guidelines and cut down timber too near streams,
while forest officers pretended to be blind and chose to be ignorant.
“Sometimes, they find an excuse not to do anything because they are scared of being ‘polong’ (charmed) or people
sending them bullets and so on. So I told them to tell these people that I’m responsible, the minister is responsible
and they are just doing their job.
“If they want to ‘polong’, they can ‘polong’ the minister. I know how to deal with ‘polong’, don’t worry. And I do not want
anymore excuse like that for not doing their job.”
Adenan also said he did not believe in giving ‘extra reward’ as incentive to the forest officers and had “cancelled all
these reward business”.
“Why do we pay extra reward to people for doing their job in the first place? So no more, otherwise they will
manufacture all sorts of things such as passing off legal logs as illegal to get extra rewards. So no monkey business
there. You need somebody to be determined enough.”
With regard to the Heart of Borneo, Adenan said if there were anymore timber concessions that had already been
given covering this area, he would not renew them.
“Enough, I want to create together with Kalimantan, Brunei and Sabah the Heart of Borneo, the backbone of Borneo
to preserve our biodiversity.”
Adenan hoped that the state government could learn from the federal policy and at the same time reminded that any
new policies should not encroach too much on state power.
“We have the same purpose but we must work together on the fullest cooperation. Together with other countries, we
will sign and rectify any treaty which protects and preserves the environment but we must take firm action against
those who desecrate our environment.
“I’m sorry to be taking a hard line on this one because if we don’t, we have much to regret later on. We should look at
biodiversity as the naturalists look at it, not just dollar sign. It takes a hundred years for the trees to grow and two
minute by chainsaw for it to fall. Don’t expect so much if you desecrate the environment.”
Among those present at the event were Adenan’s wife Datin Patinggi Dato Jamilah Anu, Natural Resources and
Environment Minister Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and wife Datin Sri Feona Junaidi.
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