Guest guest Posted June 5, 2003 Report Share Posted June 5, 2003 ***************************Advertisement*************************** TechCentral http://star-techcentral.com ***************************************************************** This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling. Comment from sender: This article is from thestar.com.my URL: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2003/6/5/nation/hrbalak & sec=nation ________________________ Thursday, June 05, 2003 Environ group welcomes new log ban BY HILARY CHIEW PETALING JAYA: The London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), which uncovered the recent spate of illegal imports of Indonesian logs via the coastal jetties of Muar and Batu Pahat, has welcomed the Government & #039;s latest move to check the smuggling of the wood. EIA investigator Sam Lawson said he believed the new measure & #150; a ban on any timber measuring over 387sq cm & #150; would plug the loophole in an earlier ban on Indonesian logs, which did not cover roughly squared logs. However, in an e-mail last week, he questioned the effectiveness of the latest move, saying that it must be properly implemented and enforced. & #147;And there have to be question marks considering the failure to enforce the ban on round logs, & #148; he said, referring to the 32 vessels carrying Indonesian logs, including round logs, that unloaded at the jetties in April. On May 13, in an apparent reaction to the incident, Primary Industries Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik was reported as saying that import licences would only be issued to importers who can show proof of bona fide export sources. The new measure, he said, was to strengthen enforcement efforts and remove any loopholes in enforcing the earlier ban. Last June, Malaysia announced a ban on Indonesian logs to support the republic & #146;s export ban and to erase negative perceptions of the Malaysian timber industry. The local timber industry had been accused of laundering illegally-sourced Indonesian wood, thus contributing to the destruction of Indonesian forests. The EIA had claimed that the vessels, flying the Indonesian flag, conducted the illegal transaction within an hour and within sight of the authorities. It alleged that the new evidence indicated that illegally-logged Indonesian wood, including those of endangered species, continued to be laundered by both Malaysia and Singapore onto world markets. Research had shown that 80% of Indonesian logs were illegally logged, prompting Indonesia to impose a total ban on the export of all logs in November 2001. In a letter to Dr Lim dated May 2, EIA director Dave Currey said the vessels arrived at the Batu Pahat Customs jetty before moving upriver to unload the logs onto waiting trucks at three separate landing points. & #147;Indonesian-flagged vessels carrying logs from Sumatra were filmed unloading at a landing point near the centre of town, & #148; he said. Piles of ramin logs could be seen on the jetty waiting to be loaded on to trucks. The group, which was known for its undercover investigation into environmental crime, said the continued failure of the Government to halt illegal imports of Indonesian logs was helping drive the destruction of Indonesian forests. <p> ________________________ Your one-stop information portal: The Star Online http://thestar.com.my http://biz.thestar.com.my http://classifieds.thestar.com.my http://cards.thestar.com.my http://search.thestar.com.my http://star-motoring.com http://star-space.com http://star-jobs.com http://star-ecentral.com http://star-techcentral.com 1995-2002 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Star Publications is prohibited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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