SANDAKAN: Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) has denied allegations in two articles over alleged illegal logging and an unmanaged timber disease recently published by online news site Sarawak Report.
The articles were titled "Illegal Logging In Sabah! (By the State Government)" dated 1 December, 2024 and "Sabah Forestry Admits Log Extraction and Export – Says Timber is Disease Ridden" dated December 3, 2024.
The Chief Conservator of Forests, Datuk Frederick Kugan, in his statement, said that Sarawak Report falsely cited a press release by the SFD in the latter article.
SFD denied having issued the press release, therefore a police report will be lodged soon.
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“On the first article, the allegation by the Sarawak Report that timber is being flushed out without proper dues being paid is incorrect.
“SFD has been collecting royalties from the extraction of Acacia mangium trees in accordance with the Forest Rules 1969.
“On the issue of the Ceratocystis wilt disease outbreak, SFD in coordination with Yayasan Sabah are taking steps to contain and eliminate the threat posed by this disease,” he explained.
This issue was raised and discussed at the recent November State Legislative Assembly Sitting, added Frederick.