KUALA LUMPUR: No industrial timber plantations (ITP) have been implemented at this juncture, says Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
The Plantations and Commodities Minister said this is because Malaysia currently has the forest plantation development programme in place, where loan facilities are provided to companies that are eligible to participate in the forest plantation programme.
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“As of now, we have planted close to 147,000ha,” he said of the programme which began in 2007 during Ministers' Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday(Aug 26).
Johari said forest plantations will ensure that there are continuous supply of raw materials and timber to states. It also ensures that degraded areas become productive.
He said when companies which were given the financing reaches the harvesting period, they will return the money to the government.
He said the harvest period for the RM1.2bil loan is about 20 years.
On forest reserves under state governments, he said the maximum harvest rate is 5%.
“After that they will have to replant. And we will open (for harvesting) after the replanting process,” he said.
“With this, we are able to control our forest areas and ensure that there is no disruption to biodiversity,” he said.
Recently, green group RimbaWatch called for a moratorium on ITPs in permanent forest reserves.
Johari was responding to a question by Datuk Dr Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail (PN-Kubang Pasu) to the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister in which he was asked to state the progress achieved in the ITP project and the total area of forest reserves involved in deforestation nationwide and the environmental and ecosystem impacts of the ITP.
In July, Johari assumed the duties of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister after the position fell vacant following the resignation of Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
To a supplementary question by Tan Hong Pin (PH-Bakri) on whether Malaysia exports timber, Johari said Malaysia only exports furniture-based wood and not timber.
Imports are only allowed from sustainable sources, he said.
