M'SIA TAKES STEPS TO REDUCE TIMBER INDUSTRY'S DEPENDENCE ON NATURAL FORESTS

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has taken steps to supplement supply
of raw materials to the timber industry and reduce the industry's dependence on
natural forests.

This was in view of the requirement to set limits to logging in order to
maintain sustainability of the forests, Deputy Plantation Industries and
Commodities Minister Hamzah Zainudin said Wednesday.

"My ministry has embarked on a forest plantation programme under which 25,000
hectares would be established annually over a period of 15 years to achieve a
target of 375,000 hectares.

"In addition, the timber industry is also looking into developing
alternative sources of raw materials such as bio-composite materials
from oil palm fibre and other agro-based fibres," he said at the Workshop on
Malaysia and Indonesia Timber Trade and Adaption of Forest Governance Integrity
Tools here Wednesday.

He said although the Malaysian timber policy seemed to be focusing much on
efforts to enhance its trade performance, the issue of sustainable development
was also of paramount importance to the country.

In fact, he said, Malaysia had over 100 years experience of managing its natural
forest resources and through this focus, more than 50 per cent of the total land
area was still under forest cover.

Wednesday's workshop is aimed at promoting understanding and efforts in
enhancing legal sourcing and trade in timber between Malaysia and Indonesia,
based on Customs Departments' control mechanisms.
-- BERNAMA



Delete & Prev | Delete & Next