Moratorium will not affect supply of national timber - KeTSA

According to a statement by the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry (KeTSA), the moratorium only involved the remaining land approved that has not been awarded to any company or plantation operators by the state government.

The approval to develop new forest plantations by the state government to companies or existing plantations operators are not involved with the implementation of the moratorium," said the ministry.

The 79th National Land Council (MTN) meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Dec 2 had agreed in principle with the implementation of the moratorium for 15 years in the permanent forest reserves (HSK) in Peninsular Malaysia.

Ismail Sabri was quoted as saying that there were 127,050.25 hectares of Plantation Development Zone in HSK that have yet to be approved to be awarded to any company.

According to KeTSA, records show that the Annual Felling Ration for Permanent Forest Reserve, in the HSK and development area on privately owned and government land is expected to produce an average of 4.1 million m3 of raw material supply a year.

"This is excluding forest plantation area that had been planted totalling 113,039.50 hectares within the HSK that is estimated to be able to produce 1.5 million m3 of raw material annually.

According to KeTSA, the average timber requirement in Peninsular Malaysia is 4.2 million m3 annually.

Meanwhile, KeTSA said it will hold detailed discussions with state governments so that an agreement can be reached in realising the decisions agreed upon at the 79th MTN.

"KeTSA will seek the cooperation of the state governments in making sure that plantation operators hasten to plant in the approved and cleared forest plantation area. It is not wise to leave the cleared area vacant to avoid degradation of the ecosystem and the risk of triggering a natural disaster," it said.