28 July 2019 (Daily Express) SANDAKAN: The State Forestry Department must take every effort to prove to the people that claims about widespread illegal logging activities in several districts are not true, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.

At the same time the department must be focused on dealing with illegal logging activities and act fast in responding to public complaints.

“I’m sure there is room for improvement in enforcing the law and in this case, the Sabah Forestry Department is capable of playing its role professionally and honestly,” he said during the department’s Excellent Service Award ceremony, Friday.

His speech was read by Sekong Assemblyman Arifin Asgali. During the event, 86 department staff received their certificate of excellence. At the same time, 24 Sustainable Forest Management Licence Agreement (SFMLA) holders received the Compliance Certificate 2018.

In the meantime, Shafie said the department’s sustainable management practice is significant to mitigate climate emergency.

He pointed out that this is because forest management is seen as the mother of cross-sectoral resource management which takes into account socio-economic and environmental interest.

“In forest conservation management, Sabah is indeed the best example in the country,” he said.

He acknowledged that the state has often been seen as the benchmark in rehabilitation and environmental protection.

Citing a recent example, Shafie said the Ministry of Primary Industries has made Sabah as the platform to launch its 1 million tree planting programme in response to the boycott of Malaysian palm oil-based products.

“Forest research programmes must be creative, innovative and inclusive, not only for academic purpose, but also able to generate economic opportunities for the people,” he said.

To the SFMLA holders, the Chief Minister said they must not only be profit oriented but also carry out their responsibility for the socio-economic wellbeing of the state and people, including the environment.

He warned that the Government would review their licences if they are not serious in managing their areas in accordance with the Sustainable Forest Management concept and become a liability to the government.

On this note, Shafie said the government has taken a holistic approach to increase the state’s revenue which includes its decision to ban log export last May.

He reiterated that it was done to ensure the wood-based downstream industry will not face short of supply and also to ensure more jobs will be created for locals.