Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) lauds the Chief Minister of Sarawak, Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s pledge to save the Borneo state’s remaining forests and to fight timber corruption, when he spoke in a special session at the Malaysian High Commission in London.
TI-M strongly supports CM Adenan’s pledge to save the forests by not giving out timber concessions and avoiding palm oil, which is one of the leading drivers of the destruction of forest, will definitely help in the fight against illegal logging and timber corruption in Sarawak. CM Adenan has also underlined that a transformation towards sustainability is vital for Sarawak’s timber industry and he called on NGOs to assist with the necessary reforms. He has also meet up with Lukas Straussman, the Executive Director of Swiss-based NGO Bruno Manser Fund (BMF), who is also the author of “Money Logging: On the Trail of the Asian Timber Mafia” which zoomed in on alleged abuses, particularly in the logging sector.
Early this year, CM Adenan has led his State Cabinet ministers and assistant ministers in signing an Integrity Pledge, as one of the many steps he has taken to distanced himself clearly from his predecessor’s administration. In April 2015, 26 BN elected representatives and 30 political secretaries inked the integrity Pledge at the State Legislative Assembly complex in front of MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed in line with efforts by the Adenan administration to promote clean and transparent governance.
TI-M is be prepared to work with CM Adenan in tackling forestry crime, particularly illegal logging, which is a direct indicator of weak forest governance. A robust forest governance shall be implemented otherwise the industry will simply ignores those policies in favour of quick financial gains. Corruption and lack of transparency is the main driver of the lack of progress in dealing with illegal logging. Our Forest Watch Project was launched by TI-M’s Forest Governance Integrity (FGI) Project to involve the public to becomes eyes and ears of the forest through the use of Google Earth Geospatial Technology (satellite imagery, aerial photography and GIS 3D globe) to assess forest cover and report irregularities through website. Log into our our TI-M Forest Governance Initiative website : www.timalaysia-forestwatch.org.my
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Dr KM Loi
Deputy President / Chair of Forest Governance Integrity
TI-Malaysia
Transparency International-Malaysia is an independent, non-governmental and non-partisan organisation committed to the fight against corruption.
Website: www.transparency.org.my
