KUCHING: Sarawak has so far utilised 420,146 hectares to develop industrial forest plantations.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said this is in line with the state government’s goal of turning one million hectares into plantations by 2020.
He said that the state has been creating industrial forest plantations since 1998 by issuing licences for planted forests covering 2.5 million hectares.
“It is to reduce pressure on our natural forests and to ensure sustainable supply of timber,” Abang Johari said during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Edge Global Norway As and the Ministry of Urban Development and Natural Resources at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here today.
The MoU outlines the broad terms and their understanding on their collaboration to drive the development, financing, execution and operations of a reforestation-based, integrated value chain commercial project.
“Sarawak has a clear land use policy in which the state government has targeted six million hectares for sustainable timber production including a million hectares of industrial forest plantations; one million hectares as totally protected areas; four million hectares for agriculture of which three million hectares are for oil palm and one million hectares for other crops. The remaining 1.4 million hectares are for miscellaneous development,” said Abang Johari.
Recalling his trip to Norway, he said a research centre there found that it took about 70 years for a particular tree to grow to a certain size whereas ours needed only six years.
He stressed that the state has the advantage and that it should make use of the opportunity to lead a successful reforestation project.
“It is appropriate that we have this understanding so that we can work out how to reforest and plant the right species of timber in the remaining hectares,” he said.
Edge Global Norway As representatives Datuk Torstein Dale Sjotveit and Tom Einar Jensen, Ministry of Urban Development and Natural Resources permanent secretary Datuk Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar, Forest Department Sarawak director Hamden Mohammad and Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Assistant Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh, and State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Ghani were among those present at the signing ceremony.
