Timber industry must explain - where did all these "runaway" timber come from?

By Zaidi Isham Ismail
[email protected]

KUALA LUMPUR Jan 3 - Most Malaysians would be aware by now on the devastating effects of the on-going floods.

Amid the raging flood waters, an interesting story is developing in some timber rich states - the emergence of "runaway" timber literally floating into peoples' homes.

The Pahang State Forestry Department issued a statement last week that no logging activities - illegal or legal - are taking place in the forest reserve of Hutan Lentang, Bentong.

If that is the case, the department has still not answered a persistent and nagging question - where did all this timber come from?

Who owns all these timber?

A source from the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry said it is true that some of the timber were uprooted and swept away by the "kepala air" or water surge phenomenon.

However, some of the renegade timber are sawn and freshly felled timber as clearly seen in media photos and in social media.

"The logs most likely are owned by timber firms who owned a concession agreement awarded by state governments.

The timber firms most likely stacked the logs ready to be transported to the mill to be processed into sawn timber, plywood, mouldings or joineries.

Unfortunately, the timber companies did not have the time to save their logs when the floods came and swept the timber away and it floated all over the place.

A deluge of Tik Tok videos have swamped social media depicting the aftermath of the timbers flood "adventure."

There is no shortage of netizens mocking the timber sector, of which some even memed the industry singing "Milik siapakah balak ini," mimicking the evergreen tune Milik Siapakah Hati Ini originally made popular by the late Sudirman Arshad

The runaway timber was strewn all over the Karak highway.

Some have even crashed and damaged several houses of village folks.

For the record, timber is under the custodian of the state forestry departments under the management of state governments.

At the federal level, the forestry sector overall is under the charge of the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry.

Before the timber industry can export the timber and timber products, the companies need to register with the Malaysian Timber Industry Board under the ministry.

Whichever way, all the timber related departments be it at the federal and state level need to come clean.

They need to make more explanations to the rakyat.

The Silence of the lambs?

Where did all these timbers come from and are the villagers whose homes were bulldozed by the runaway timber compensated?

Is the timber extracted from logged over areas, natural forests or felled from sustainable forest plantations?

Malaysia is a member of the International Tropical Timber Organisation and it does not need these types of negative publicity.

The sector exported more than RM20 billion in timber and timber products providing employment to thousands of workers.

The timber sector in the region is already being accused by non-governmental organisations and governments all over the world especially from the West of destroying the natural habitats of wildlife.

These include the natural habitats of the orangutans and the indigenous people of Penan in Sarawak.

The country maintains 55 percent of its landmass with natural forest cover and it does not need another round of brickbats from the West to destroy its reputation.

The authorities must come clean. The country's image is at stake. The rakyat demand answers. - DagangNews.com