M'SIA ADDRESSING ISSUES ON EU FOREST LAW, SAYS DOMPOK

FROM SITI HAWA OTHMAN

THE HAGUE, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is addressing the sticky issues with
regard to the European Union Forest Law, Enforcement, Governance and
Trade-Voluntary Partnership Agreement (FLEGT-VPA).

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Bernard Dompok said the
government would subscribe to any global initiative that protected the
environment and as such, was still in negotiations with the EU on the VPA.

He said the timber industry wanted to know what was in store for them upon
signing the agreement and as to the EU initiative in stopping other countries
from bringing in uncertified timber into Europe.

"For example, Sarawak has a lot of difficult questions with regard to timber
trade. We've to oblige to listen to them. In Malaysia, the states control land
matters," he told reporters after attending a roundtable meeting with Dutch
timber importers.

Dompok said progress made on the VPA was also raised in his meeting with
the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs, Maria van der Hoeven, on Monday.

The EU FLEGT Action Plan seeks to differentiate legal from illegal timber
and timber products.

"The industry wants to know what the FLEGT will contain and what the
governments are going to do about illegal timber from other countries. If
nothing is done, then what is the advantage of going to the VPA?," said
Dompok who is leading a 20-member timber and palm oil mission on a working
visit to Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium from Nov 10 to Nov 21.

Currently on the second leg of the visit in The Hague, the Minister's
programme include bilateral meetings, visits to palm oil refineries owned by
IOI-Loders Croklaan and Sime Darby's Unimills, both in Rotterdam, and attend a
roundtable meeting on timber and a forum on palm oil.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that Malaysia's certified timber has been
gaining acceptance in Europe especially with the Malaysian Timber Certification
Scheme becoming the first tropical timber certification scheme in the
Asia-Pacific region to be endorsed by the Programme for the Endorsement of
Forest Certification (PEFC) schemes.

Malaysian Timber Certification Council chief executive officer
Chew Lye Teng said the first shipment of Malaysian timber products bearing the
PEFC logo is expected early next year.

He said 17 Malaysian companies are expected to get the PEFC accredited
certificates and two to three forest areas.

The MTCS endorsement is only the second in the world to be given by the PEFC
after the Gabonese Forest Certification Scheme.
-- BERNAMA