S’wak govt gets over RM3.4 mln from confiscated timber in first 10 months of 2024

KUCHING (Nov 20): The Sarawak government collected a total of RM654,018 in compounds and RM2.8 million in disposal proceeds through the sale of confiscated timber from January to October this year.

Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said during the same period, the Sarawak Forest Department also recorded 50 cases of forest offences.

“Eleven cases were registered for prosecution in court of which two cases have been decided by the court while nine cases are still in the prosecution and trial process,” he said when winding up his ministerial speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting here today.

Awang Tengah, who is Second Natural Resources and Urban Development Minister, said the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) also opened 27 investigation papers related to Totally Protected Areas (TPA) offences and wildlife crimes from May to October this year.

“Four cases were brought to court, eight cases were compounded, and 15 cases are still under investigation.

“In addition, 10 investigation papers from the previous year were also prosecuted, bringing the total number of cases charged in court to 14, namely 10 cases which involved fines while three offenders were jailed and one was given a good behaviour bond,” he said.

Awang Tengah also touched on the state’s timber industry where he noted that the total export value for the third quarter of 2024 was RM2.1 billion.

“Japan remained the main importer of Sarawak’s timber products with a value of RM1.2 billion, an increase of 1.5 per cent compared to RM1.18 billion in the same period in 2023.

“Other major markets were India with RM307 million, Middle Eastern countries with RM145 million, China with RM110 million, and Taiwan with RM88 million,” he said.

Sarawak is also developing value-added industries such as wood pellets, which are used as an environmentally friendly fuel for generating electricity.

“The export value of Sarawak’s wood pellets for the third quarter of 2024 amounted to RM60 million.

“This is an increase of 69 per cent compared to the same period in 2023, which was worth RM36 million,” he said, adding that the main markets for Sarawak’s wood pellets are Japan and the Netherlands.