Law against illegal logging to be made tougher

Tuesday September 18, 2007
MYT 6:15:47 PM
The Star


PUTRAJAYA: The National Forestry Act, 1984 will be amended soon to ensure more effective prosecution of illegal loggers and those who buy illegally felled timber.

Under amendments to be made soon, those suspected of carrying out illegal logging would have to prove that the timber was obtained legally.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the new law would enable better prosecution of those involved in illegal logging, which damages the environment and tarnishes Malaysia’s image globally.

Najib admitted that prosecuting illegal loggers was difficult, and even if cases were brought to court, the level of success was low.

“This is because the need for burden of proof is high. We will be able to fare better with this fundamental shift in law, which we believe will be a sufficient deterrent. “We will also be using new technologies, including remote sensing, to detect areas where such activities take place,” he said after chairing the National Forestry Council’s 21st meeting Tuesday.

He said between 2004 and 2006, a total of 166 illegal logging cases were recorded in permanent forest reserves. Pahang, Perak and Kedah were high in the list of illegal logging activities.

However, he said the biggest destructions were in Kelantan where the state government had de-gazetted the Lojing Highlands area, making land-clearing activities there legal.

Earlier this year, The Star broke the story about the lush forest reserves in Lojing being logged almost bare by 22 companies, of which only five had Environmental Impact Assessments approved.

“I do not know if we can prosecute them as the logging is legal with the state having de-gazetted the area,” he said.

Najib also asked states to look for new areas to be gazetted for water catchments, adding areas totalling more than 800,000ha has been gazetted for the purpose.