JAKARTA - Indonesia
will not make any wood-trade deal with Malaysia before the
neighboring country shows its intention to deal with
illegal logging, Indonesian Forestry Minister M Prakosa
said.
"We do not wish to make any deal with them
unless the Malaysian government has shown its goodwill
in tackling illegal logging and wood smuggling," Prakosa
said in a meeting with media leaders on Tuesday.
In its efforts to eradicate wood smuggling to
Malaysia, he said the Indonesian government would ask
wood-consuming countries such as Japan, members of the
European Union and the United States to stop buying wood
products from Malaysia.
The move would be taken
on grounds that efforts to put an end to smuggling could
not be effective merely by requesting Malaysia's
assistance.
Since 2002, Indonesia's Forest
Ministry has worked closely with Britain, the European
Union and China to stop illegal logging and smuggling.
Malaysia has reportedly banned log imports from
Indonesia since June 25, 2002, hoping to put an end to
illegal logging and to remove a negative perception
about the country's wood industry.
According to
the Indonesian Forestry Ministry's satellite
observation, wood smuggling from West Kalimantan to
Malaysia went through 185 land routes in remote areas,
which was difficult to monitor.
The smuggling
has passed at least 55 villages in West Kalimantan and
32 kampongs in Sarawak, Malaysia, head of the West
Kalimantan Forestry office, Arman Mallolongan, said at a
workshop on forestry law enforcement.
The 185
routes cover a total distance of 847 kilometers
bordering regions between West Kalimantan and Sarawak.
In addition to land transport, wood smuggling to Sarawak
also took place through 98 rivers, including 11 large
ones, linking the two regions.
The alleged main
gates for wood smuggling to Malaysia are Nanga Badau in
Kapuas Hulu district (wood-working products), Jagoi
Babang in Bengkayang district (logs), Paloh Village of
Sambas district (logs), Senaning Village of Sintang
district (logs) and Pouring Kencana Village of Kapuas
Hulu (logs).
Monitoring by the Kapuas Hulu
forestry office showed that wood smuggled through Nanga
Badau subdistrict reached 23,806 trucks or 95,232 cubic
meters of wood-based products, which are equal to
190,464 cubic meters of logs.
Wood smuggling
through the region is predicted to cause a financial
loss of Rp36.6 billion to the state. From 1999 to 2000,
the government seized 27 units of heavy equipment from
Malaysian businessmen, which had been used for illegal
logging activities in the bordering regions of West
Kalimantan.
Some regions in the neighboring
country have reportedly legalized smuggled logs by
issuing documents that certified the products. In such a
situation, Prakosa said it would not be impossible for
Malaysia to stockpile a huge supply of raw material and
for its wood industry to a boom.
In addition to
Malaysia, countries which allegedly became markets for
smuggled logs from Indonesia are Singapore and China,
Prakosa said. However, the smuggling to China has been
reduced as the result of a bilateral agreement.
Meanwhile, Singapore has used wood smuggling to
capitaliz on the free trade mechanism between Singapore
and Batam.
(Asia Pulse/Antara)
Oct 16, 2003
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