Illegal loggers to be detained until case mentioned in court

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will review the laws to take sterner action against anyone who threatens its officers over the issue of illegal logging.

Its minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said with the new laws, he wants the illegal loggers who have been arrested to be detained until their cases are brought to court.

"We want them to be held in the lock-ups until the day of trial. If they are released, we worry that they will threaten the lives of our officers.

"If they are foreigners, there is a possibility that they will return to their country and we will not be able to take action against them," he said.

Wan Junaidi was speaking to reporters after the celebrations for the national level 2017 International Day of Forests and the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem at the Bakau Tinggi Forest Reserve here today.

Also present were chairman of the state Committee for Infrastructure, Public Facilities, Energy and Green Technology Rosli Othman, Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek who is also Member of Parliament for Kemaman, and deputy secretary-general (Environment) in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Datuk Dr Azimuddin Bahari.

Wan Junaidi said such action must be immediately implemented as of late, the forestry officers have had to face violent actions believed to be done by henchmen of illegal loggers who had been apprehended.

"Believe it or not, within these last three months, in one case, our security forces who enforced the logging laws had to face violent action from illegal loggers, one of them was shot although he was not injured.

"In the second case, an officer was stopped in the middle of the road and held for a while because the illegal loggers wanted to get back their machinery and logs which had been confiscated," he said.

"Commenting further, Wan Junaidi said the illegal loggers were acted blatantly because they knew the security officers did not carry weapons.

"So we hope criminal laws can be enforced on them, for instance for the offence of stopping government officers from carrying out their duties, and as well as other offences that they commit.

Wan Junaidi also announced a new, more environment-friendly logging system known as the "Log Fisher" which would reduce damage to the environment.

He said the new method would reduce land clearing and lessen damage to the ecosystem and forest areas affected by logging activities.

"With this method, they do not have to open many side roads, just one main road for tractors and lorries carrying timber logs to pass through," he said.

Wan Junaidi praised the Terengganu government for being a pioneer in this technique and said the other states should follow suit in order to transform the logging industry to be more environment-friendly.

-- BERNAMA