Contractor files police report to clear firm’s name over illegal logging claims

KUCHING: A contractor for a provisional lease holder yesterday lodged a police report to clear his company’s name over allegations it had conducted illegal logging activities at Kampung Pati Kenyalang, Jalan Ensengei in Serian.

According to the contractor, two newspapers had reported on the matter – the first being a statement from Battalion 11 of the General Operations Force ( GOF) on April 11 regarding the seizure, and a second report five days later on the Forest Department issuing a clarification that the GOF statement was inaccurate.

The Forest Department on Monday had clarified that the 1,003 logs seized at the village by the GOF were not from trees felled by illegal loggers. The seized logs and machinery were estimated to be worth RM1.1 million.

An initial probe by the department a day after the GOF raid revealed that the felling of the timber logs was carried out by the contractor on a provisional lease land.

State Forest director Hamden Mohammad explained the investigation also revealed that for the purpose of obtaining a permit for royalty estimates, the company had actually sent an application to his department on Jan 7.

However, the application was not processed as the department had ceased issuing special permits under the Felled Log Mechanism for land to be developed since the beginning of this year, he said.

Hamden added that this was following a decision by the Sarawak government to come up with a new mechanism involving various agencies for the approval of every application.

“Pending the enforcement of the new mechanism, the department would not stop any land development activity on private land.

“In line with this, the department also advises those who wish to sell logs harvested from their land to stock them until the new mechanism is ready to put to use,” he said.

The GOF on April 9 seized the logs and machinery during an operation and also detained a 28-year- old Indonesian.