KUCHING, Nov 18, 2014: Swiss-based anti-Abdul Taib Mahmud
non-governmental organisation (NGO) Bruno Manser Fund (BMF) has praised new
Chief Minister Adenan Satem for his stance on timber corruption, describing it
as "a stunning development in the Malaysian state of Sarawak."
"For the first time in the history of Sarawak, which
has been part of Malaysia since 1963, a Chief Minister has taken on the timber
industry.
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| Strausmann (centre) at the launch of his book Money Logging |
"The timber industry has for long been the state's
economic backbone but is currently facing decreasing yields due to
non-sustainable harvesting practices in past years," BMF executive
director Lukas Straumann said in an e-mail statement today.
He was commenting on media reports that Adenan had
gathered the tycoons of the state's big six logging firms, KTS, Rimbunan Hijau,
Samling, Shin Yang, Ta Ann and WTK for a meeting in which he publicly accused
them of using "corrupt" practices and warned them not to "mess
with me."
Adenan also said that he will "put the fear of God
into people who are dishonest" and described the state of corruption in
Sarawak as "very bad, a reflection of what enforcement officers have not
been doing."
"Some, of course not all, pretend they don't know.
The reason is very simple; either they are stupid, cowards or corrupt,"
the chief minister was quoted as saying.
Adenan carefully avoided not to mention his predecessor
and current governor, Taib Mahmud, under whose 33-year tenure as chief minister,
corruption in the timber industry has
become endemic in Sarawak.
"Today is a day of celebration for Sarawak and
Malaysia", Straumann said in a first reaction. "These are the
clearest words ever we have heard from a leading Malaysian government minister
to combat corruption as a root cause of deforestation and
under-development."
"We commend Chief Minister Adenan Satem for his
courageous stance and important leadership in this question", Straumann
said in Berkeley (US), where he is currently on tour to promote his book Money
Logging: On the Trail of the Asian Timber Mafia.
"The
international community and civil society are ready to assist Sarawak in the
badly-needed reforms not only of the forestry practices but also its governance
and institutions in a wider sense."
Adenan became Sarawak's fifth Chief Minister in March
2014 after long-term Taib resigned.
As the first minister ever in Sarawak, Adenan signed an
integrity pledge in which he committed not to award public contracts to his
family members.
Logging in Sarawak, for long the world's largest exporter
o tropical timbers, has been controversial since the mid-1980s. Some of the
world's largest timber conglomerates, including Rimbunan Hijau and Samling,
have their origins in Sarawak and are currently active all over the globe.
At the signing of the Corporate Integrity Pledge
yesterday, Adenan said the state government would not issue any new timber
licences in line with its efforts to keep corruption and illegal logging at
bay.
He said corruption in the timber industry “is very bad”
and that his administration would not tolerate such an unethical practice.
“We must put a stop to it not just because of losing
millions of ringgit but also it has painted a bad name on us internationally.
I’ve decided not to give any more new timber licences and no more OP licences
as well.
“There will be no more small licences because these
operators use their licences to ‘curi’ (steal) from outside their areas. So
there will be no more nonsense,” he said.
Adenan warned licence holders KTS Holdings Sdn Bhd, RH Forest Corporation
Sdn Bhd, Samling Group, Shin Yang Group, Ta Ann Group and WTK Holding Bhd to be
mindful of their operations on the ground.
He wanted them to monitor their subcontractors, camp
managers, suppliers and workers closely as he did not want to see any of them
failing to adhere to the pledge.
“So don’t mess with me, I will get you with the
commitment of MACC and other state authorities.
“You got to be rough because some people cannot be
persuaded. Do not mess with the government. I think that’s all I want to say.
You got my message," he said. ends
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