Four end up behind bars for illegal logging

KUCHING: Four people have been jailed for illegal logging in Sarawak this year.

Assistant Environment Minister Datuk Len Talif Salleh said the four were among 11 suspects charged with various offences, such as logging outside concession areas, not following proper procedures and logging after expiry of licences.

“The four were found guilty and sentenced to jail for four months, six months and one year, depending on the seriousness of the offence.

“The other cases are still in court,” he told reporters covering the state legislative assembly yesterday.

Len Talif rebutted accusations by opposition assemblymen that the state government was only paying lip service to tackle illegal logging.

He said forestry enforcement authorities had questioned 333 suspects in 186 cases of illegal logging between March last year and October this year and had arrested 29 of them.

He said they also seized 116,514 cubic metres of logs with a royalty value of RM7.6mil during the same period. Of this, 48,606 cubic metres worth about RM7.1mil had been disposed of while the rest were still under investigation.

“We don’t deny that illegal logging is still happening. This is why we need reports from everyone, including the Opposition.

“If you know of illegal activity on the ground, report it immediately. You cannot solve illegal logging just by shouting in the assembly.

“The government is committed to combating illegal logging with the assistance of everyone. The faster the information comes, the sooner action can be taken,” he said.

During question time earlier, Len Talif told Yap Hoi Liong (DAP-Dudong) that 56 investigation papers on forestry-related offences had been submitted to the state Attorney-General’s Chambers for further action.

When asked whether any investigation was carried out to determine the connection between illegal loggers and licence holders, he said offences could be committed by anyone inside or outside the concession areas.