‘No stop to logging in Sarawak just yet’

Complete halt will impact livelihood of many especially those involved in downstream activities, says Forest director

Logging activities in Sarawak will not be stopped despite the current emphasis towards forest carbon activities, said Forest Department Sarawak director Datu Hamden Mohammad.

He said that completely stopping timber-related activities will impact the livelihood of many people, particularly those involved in downstream activities.

“To say we stop (logging activities), we have to see because we are now doing planted forests. All the licensees now have planted trees and now, there are 440,000 hectares of planted forests for industrial purpose.

“We have been doing this since 1997,” he told a press conference a er opening a seminar on Introduction of Forest Carbon Activities in Sarawak at a hotel here yesterday.

He said planted trees, upon the maturity age of 12 to 14 years and depending on their type, have to be chopped down and then a new tree will be planted.

In terms of carbon activities, younger trees can absorb carbon be er than the old ones, he added.

“That’s why in some countries, they do not want national parks to be in the carbon activities. They like trees which are five years and above – the absorption level is very high. So we need to know the strategies involved,” he said.

According to him, Sarawak has reduced its logging activities from the roughly eight million cubic metres of timber produced annually, of which royalty earned was about RM800 million.

“Now it has reduced to about

If I say ban logging, many people will be affected. We cannot stop but we can reduce.

Datu Hamden Mohammad

RM300 million (in royalties) only. Based on our calculation, that is a sustainable level for another 10 years, unless the logging activity is stopped.

“But we have to look at the downstream activities which provide employment opportunities to the people.”

Hamden added that it will be a waste also in terms of machinery involved in logging if the industry is shut down.

He was nonetheless optimistic that players in the timber industry would be able to adjust themselves with the reduction in logging activities, such as by moving their machinery to other countries where the companies operate.

“Hopefully, the industry will do the adjustment themselves. That’s why since 2018, we have slowed down, bringing it to four million, three million (cubic metres of timber), and last year it was two million only,” he said.

She said in recent times, they had not met up as often due to Riman’s kidney issues which necessitated thrice-weekly dialysis.

According to her, he developed kidney problems less than a year ago.

Recounting the sequence of events leading to his untimely demise, Gedik said her brother had only just returned from attending the Warriors Day celebration in Kuala Lumpur.

“A day after arriving back from KL, he went for a check-up at a clinic in Batu Kawa but he fell sick after that and his condition deteriorated from there.

“I urged him to seek medical attention but he delayed doing so, and only agreed to call for an ambulance after four days.”

Gedik said she accompanied Riman to SGH where his breathing gradually weakened, before he passed away at around 7.30am.

“He did not have children of his own, but he was dearly loved by his siblings, nieces, nephews and in-laws. His playful and friendly nature endeared him to those around him,” she added.

Meanwhile, former Warrant Officer 1 and fellow PGB recipient Beliang Bali, 70, who had travelled with Riman to Kuala Lumpur for the Warriors Day celebration, said the two of them were supposed to attend the Malaysia Day celebration next month.

“We even planned to book our flight tickets so that we could travel together,” he said.

Fellow army veteran and PGB recipient Corporal Bajau Radi, 76, described Riman as a pleasant person who was easy to get along with.

“We started being very close when we were both in the same PGB group,” he said.