The Sabah Forestry Department has denied allegations in two articles published by Sarawak Report regarding illegal logging in the state.
The articles on the investigative journalism website are “Illegal Logging In Sabah”, which was published last Dec 1 and “Sabah Forestry Admits Log Extraction and Export – Says Timber is Disease Ridden” on Dec 3.
It said in a statement today that, in the second article, Sarawak Report falsely cited a press release issued by the department.
“This is an irresponsible act done with malicious intent by the Sarawak Report. The Sabah Forestry Department will lodge a police report,” read the statement.
Regarding the first article by Sarawak Report, that timber is being flushed out without proper dues being paid, the department said the allegation was incorrect.
On the “Ceratocystis wilt” outbreak, the Sabah Forestry Department said that in coordination with the Sabah Foundation, they are taking steps to contain and eliminate the threat posed by the disease.
It said the issue was discussed by the state legislative assembly at its sitting last month.
All Sarawak Report has done to Sabah Forestry Department is QUOTE THEIR OWN PRESS STATEMENT. So, instead of screaming and shouting and threatening ‘police reports’ why not try some proper transparency and answer the questions we believe arise from that statement?
Sarawak Report was entitled to publish local reports, backed by timed photographs, showing that Sarawak Forestry are continuing to log the SFI licensed area in Sipitang after a court of appeal put a stay barring all activities pending a judicial review.
Calling this reporting “false” the forestry department statement nonetheless acknowledged that very fact. They admit the continuing logging but claimed it to be justified, despite the court ban, on the grounds they are removing ‘diseased’ timber.
This is what is known as an excuse. So, SR quite justifiably asked if that excuse had been presented to and accepted by the court?
So, what has been “false and malicious”? Did Sarawak Report not cite the facts and is ongoing logging that has been prohibited by the courts legal?
In the light of this excuse (which has NOT been presented to the court it has emerged) Sarawak Report has also queried the practice thus admitted to by the forestry department of cutting fungus-ridden timber and transporting it off site. We have photographic evidence of the said logs being loaded for export to other states.
Is this acceptable practice?
Again, the response is that the reporting is “false and malicious”. Why not instead explain why and how it is acceptable for this diseased timber to be exported. Also what reports and procedures exist to underpin this method of dealing with the problem?
It looks like this matter will end up in court again, so perhaps the people of Sabah will have to wait till then to get the answers, given all these hostile press statements are avoiding giving proper answers to straight questions.
Meanwhile, Sabah Forestry are busy cutting and selling as much ‘diseased’ timber as it can get apparently get away with.