Forestry Dept not born yesterday: chief conservator responds to criticism of lifted logging ban

SANDAKAN – The Sabah Forestry Department was not born yesterday, said Sabah chief forest conservator Datuk Frederick Kugan in reply to an opposition MP’s criticism of the lifting of the export ban on local logs.  

Responding to Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin, who had slammed the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah government’s decision to lift the ban implemented by the former Warisan government, Kugan said that the decision was derived after consultation with industry players.

Chan had objected to the state’s move to introduce the Restricted Log Export policy, reasoning that it would allow illegal logging.

 “The department had consulted the Timber Association of Sabah, Sabah Timber Industry Association, and relevant stakeholders before arriving at the decision to impose Restricted Log Export beginning January 3 this year,” Kugan said.  

He said that it came with an export quota of natural timber capped at 20% of predetermined harvest volume, which is in turn based on annual work plans submitted by licensees for approval by the department.

“Furthermore, preference will be given to local mills through the market survey to be conducted prior to any decision on exports,” he said in a statement today. 

“These quotas are not automatically granted but are based on applications to be reviewed, coordinated, and monitored in a transparent manner by a coordination committee, involving representatives from the industries.”

Kugan added that eligible applicants are confined to Sustainable Forest Management Licence Agreement holders, including those from government-linked companies.  

“Log exports are not new to the department, which in fact has all the legal instruments and procedures, including the involvement of an independent third-party monitor under the Sabah Timber Legality Assurance System, a scheme implemented in full since 2016 to ensure legality is strictly complied with from the forests to the point of export,” he added. 

On December 28, the Vibes reported that Kugan confirmed that the export ban will be rescinded, effective January 3 this year.

It was initially imposed on logs from Sabah by then chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who also heads Warisan, in May 2018.

The ban aimed to maintain and process local log supplies in the state, which would in turn create job opportunities and provide other economic benefits for locals. – The Vibes, January 9, 2022