KUCHING: The appointment of Zainal Abidin Abdullah as the new chairman of the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) can be a ‘bridge’ between the peninsula and the Borneo region to boost the country’s timber industry.
Deputy Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh said Zainal Abidin who hails from Sarawak is the right candidate to steer MTC at the federal level.
“With his extensive experience in the field of timber, he can also bridge the relationship between the peninsula and Sarawak as Malaysia’s largest timber producing state,” he said when met by reporters at his Aidilfitri Open House here today.
He said for example, Zainal’s contribution and experience in the timber trade can be used to ensure that the industry continues to grow.
MTC recently announced in a statement that the appointment of the new chairman came into effect on April 11 and that Zainal has been involved in forestry for over 30 years.
Zainal, 54, who is also Harwood Timber Sdn Bhd general manager, started his career as a forest officer in the Sarawak Forestry Department in 1992.
In addition, he has also served as the general manager of the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) and has extensive experience in strategic planning for the progress of the sector, in line with national policies. — BERNAMA
