No illegal logging in Kalabakan reserve, says govt

KOTA KINABALU: A preliminary state government probe into logging in Kalabakan found there was “no illegal felling whatsover” of timber in the forest reserve. 

However, the state government acknowledged that the licencee of the concession had to improve on forest development techniques, particularly on road construction. 

“I have directed (state-owned Yayasan Sabah subsidiary) Innoprise Corporation to fully comply with state environmental laws,” said Minister in Chief Minister’s Department Datuk Ghapur Salleh in a statement yesterday. 

He said the state government had through its environmental agencies directed the licencee to comply with EIA requirements following the initial probe conducted between Dec 9 and 12. 

The field assessment was done by the Forestry Department, assisted by Innoprise subsidiary companies, tree plantation developer Sabah Softwood Sdn Bhd and Rakyat Berjaya Sdn Bhd, as the agent of the licensee Benta Wawasan Sdn Bhd. 

The area, totalling about 15,438ha under Benta Wawasan’s forest licence, is currently at various stages of development for the acasia mangium tree plantation. 

“Of the total area, 40% has been cleared for tree planting while salvage logging was still going on to maximise forest revenue in the remaining unplanted forest area,” said Ghapur. 

The Kalabakan probe was initiated after the Sabah Environmental Protection Association published aerial photographs of tree felling in Kalabakan, which prompted Sabah Progressive Party president Datuk Yong Teck Lee to ask for a white paper on Kalabakan, which had been earmarked for the shelved China pulp and paper mill project. 

Ghapur said no one could be certain that the photographs were that of logging in Benta Wawasan’s forest licence area unless actual co-ordinates were provided because other loggers also operated there. 

He said the government would act accordingly, even stopping logging operations if laws were flouted.

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