BINTULU: Sarawak has the largest forest plantation management unit (FPMU) in Malaysia, said Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Willie Mongin.
He said a total of 1.178 million hectares of forest areas in Sarawak had been certified under the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS) which included six FPMUs and 11 natural forest management units (FMUs).
The ministry welcomed the Sarawak government’s efforts to ensure that timber licence holders in the long run obtain Forest Management Certification by this year.
“The ministry through the Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) will continue to promote and strengthen the implementation of timber and timber products certification to increase access to the international market through MTCS which is recognised by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC),” he said at a press conference in conjunction with the working visit to the Samarakan Forest Plantation in Bintulu on Friday.
He explained that the ministry was ready to do anything to ensure the timber and forest industries remained competitive and dynamic in the global market.
Willie added that the government was of the view that increasing the level of resilience and productivity of the country’s timber industry could consistently be achieved through the existence of relevant modernisation mechanisms in the industry itself.
“This intention has been translated into the National Agricomodity Policy (DAKN) 2021-2030 launched by the Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin, on March 9 in an effort to modernise the country’s timber industry to increase the resilience of the sector.
“To support the policy, the government through the ministry has and is implementing several integrated initiatives and proactive actions to strengthen and spread awareness and the importance of sustainability and holistic sustainability in the timber value chain ecosystem,” he added.
