Malaysia’s primary industries minister hopes a ban will be imposed on the export of illegal Indonesian logs to his country ‘within two weeks’.
Dr Lim Keng Yaik, in London to promote Malaysia’s developing timber and forestry certification programme, said on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme on June 11 that he hoped to get cabinet approval for a total ban.
He said: ‘I need to get cabinet agreement and then there will be a public announcement. I hope within two weeks this announcement should come.’
The issue was originally highlighted on a BBC television news special report last month, with journalist Roger Harrabin finding evidence of illegal logs being imported to a Malaysian port despite the fact that Indonesia has banned round timber exports.
Mr Harrabin described it as a victory for some of the campaigners who have been trying to stop illegal timber exports but he admitted it was a ‘very small step’.
Before flying back to Malaysia, Dr Lim told a London conference, attended by around 80 members of the UK timber industry, that environmental groups were creating an atmosphere of ‘terror’ around the use of tropical hardwood.
He also urged the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) to be more flexible in recognition of other certification schemes.
Dr Lim has been visiting European countries presenting the new Malaysian Timber Certification Council and detailing a ‘phased approach’ to certification.
The next phase will involve a national steering committee extending the 29 Malaysian Criteria and Indicators for forestry certification to 50 and to achieve compatibility with the FSC.