Tokyo Olympic stadium to use certified M’sian wood

KUALA LUMPUR: Japan will use certified timber from Malaysia in the construction of a new stadium that will play host to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, says Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong.

“The Tokyo games organising committee has recognised our certified timber,” Mah told reporters at the Royal Selangor visitor centre here yesterday.

In April, seven foreign environmental groups, including Friends of the Earth Japan, issued a statement criticising Japan for using plywood from Sarawak timber giant Shin Yang.

The groups alleged that the company was guilty of bad logging prac tices and violating the land rights of indigenous people in Sarawak.

In response to the allegations, Mah said Malaysia sent a delegation to Japan last month to assure Tokyo’s Olympic organising committee members that the plywood used to build Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium had been certified by the Malaysia Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS).

He added that the MTCS is recognised by several countries, including European countries with strict public procurement policy, such as Britain, Germany, France, Denmark, Belgium, Finland and Switzerland.

“The MTCS is also accepted by green building schemes in Australia, Italy, the Netherlands and Singapore, among others,” he said after attend ing a ceremony to present the MTCS’ Chain of Custody Certificate to Royal Selangor. Mah said 4.1 million hectares or 28% of the total permanent forest reserves in Malaysia had been certified by MTCS since it was launched in 2001.

Malaysia exported RM21.86bil worth of timber products last year, and Mah said he is confident that the export earnings will increase to RM23bil this year.

Japan, the United States and the European Union are the country’s top three timber importers, contributing 18%, 16% and 10% respectively to the total timber export value.

At yesterday’s event, Malaysia Timber Certification Council chairman Datuk Himmat Singh said Royal Selangor is the first nonwoodbased manufacturing company to obtain the MTCS certification.

“This means that at least 70% of the timber used in its products come from certified forests,” he added.

Royal Selangor International executive director Yong Yoon Li said the company spent 12 to 14 months to certify its supply chain at its own cost as its clients were becoming more environmentallyconscious.

“Some of our European clients want us to have certification and traceability.

“We also believe it’s important to ensure the raw materials we use, whether tin or timber, come from authentic sources and not from conflict zones,” he said.