KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s timber industry needs to shift from volume-based production to producing high-value products to increase competitiveness and build a Malaysian brand with its own identity, says Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad (pic).
The Plantations and Commodities Minister said the shift was important, as Malaysian timber products had penetrated major markets, including the United States, Japan, China, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and Asian countries.
“The future of this industry cannot depend solely on production volume. We need to move towards producing higher-value products, improving designs, adopting technology and building distinctive Malaysian brands that can compete globally,” she said in her speech at the launch of the Merdekapenter Programme here yesterday.
Noraini said the government, through the ministry’s agencies, including the Malaysian Timber Industry Board, the Malaysian Timber Council and the Malaysian Timber Certification Council, will assist the industry in boosting productivity, developing human capital, expanding markets and strengthening sustainability practices.
She said the value of timber lies not merely in the raw material itself but is enhanced through craftsmanship, ideas, design and the stories behind the products, Bernama reported.
Noraini also said the demand for products derived from responsible and traceable sources which meet sustainability requirements has been increasing and highlighted that the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS) provides independent assessment of forest management and the timber product supply chain.
She added that the MTCS has been recognised by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) since 2009.
“MTCS is also the first tropical timber certification scheme in the Asia-Pacific region to receive such recognition,” she said.
Noraini said close to 5.9ha of the nation’s forests, equivalent to over 32% of Malaysia’s total forest area, have been certified under the MTCS, while 365 companies nationwide hold MTCS/PEFC Chain of Custody certification.
She noted that certification, resource efficiency and innovation are increasingly determining a company’s ability to gain customer confidence and penetrate more challenging markets.
“Sustainability is not a slogan; it has to be reflected in every action, from how materials are sourced, products are designed and waste is managed, to the choices made by consumers,” she added.
