KUCHING: Sarawak is serious about complying with international timber sustainability standards, says Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
The Chief Minister said he did not want the state's timber to face issues such as of boycotts or misunderstanding like what palm oil faces today.
"If we don't comply with international standards on sustainability, people will boycott our products.
"We do not want this to affect our timber industry," he said when opening the Sarawak Timber and SME Expo 2019 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching on Thursday (June 27).
To ensure that timber concessions are managed sustainably, Abang Johari said the state government had made it mandatory for all long-term forest timber licences to obtain forest management certification by 2022.
"This certification will provide concrete and verifiable evidence that the forest management unit is being managed on a sustainable basis.
"This initiative will not only widen the market access and acceptance for our timber products, but will also enhance the state's image on forest management globally," he said.
Abang Johari also called on holders of licences for planted forests (LPF) to step up their planting of industrial forests.
He said the state government had revised the target of achieving one million hectares of planted forests to 2025.
"LPF holders must make strong efforts to comply with the state government's policy as it is for their own good," he said.
It was previously reported that the target was reset from 2020 to 2025 due to slow planting progress, with about 420,146 hectares planted so far.
Abang Johari said the industrial forest policy aimed to mitigate the issue of depleting natural forest resources on a long-term basis.
"The objective is to reduce pressure on natural forests and to ensure sustainable supply of raw materials for the timber industry," he said.
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