Abang Johari says not briefed on new timber policy yet

Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said he has yet to be briefed on the new timber policy that stipulates an increase of more than 6,000 per cent in premium rate payable for every cubic metre of hill timber log by timber companies effective July 1.

“I cannot comment on it yet because I have yet to be briefed on the issue. I was on an official trip to London for the last 10 days,” Abang Johari, who is also Resource Planning and Environment Minister, told The Borneo Post after inspecting the guard- of-honour mounted by the Royal Malaysia Police at its headquarters at Jalan Badruddin here yesterday.

Previously, timber companies felling hill timber logs were required to pay RM0.80 per metric metre of logs which they harvested, for the Sarawak Education Fund of which Yayasan Sarawak is the secretariat.

A circular dated Apr 12 issued by State Forestry director Sapuan Ahmad stated that the chargeable premium for hill timber log has increased from RM0.80 to RM50 per metric metre.

The circular entitled ‘ New Rate of Hill Timber Premium ( Sarawak Foundation Fund)’ stated that “Chief Minister/ Minister of Resource Planning and Environment in accordance with Section 46 (1) of the Forest Ordinance, 2015, has approved the increase in rate of Hill Timber Premium, that is premium chargeable on all species of logs harvested from hill forests and logs of hill species from agriconversion areas’.

The current rate of Hill Timber Premium for all hill logs is RM0.80 per cubic metre and logs of hill species from agri- conversion areas is RM3 per cubic metre.

According to the circular, the new rate of hill timber premium for all hill logs (including logs of hill species from agri- conversion areas) is RM50 per cubic metre, an increase of more than 6,000 per cent for hill logs.

Sapuan in his WhatsApp reply to The Borneo Post yesterday briefly stated that “The hill timber premium increase(s) from 80 sen to RM50 is meant for educational purposes (for) Yayasan Sarawak Fund. Collection of 80 sen (was enforced) since 1984 and ( has) never been increased for the past 30 years”.

He clari f ied that the new premium would affect all forest timber licences including Yayasan Sarawak concession areas.