Indonesia defends logging allegations against Malaysia<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government stood by its move on Monday to ask the European
\nUnion (EU) to stop importing wood products from Malaysia, saying
\nthat it was based on strong indications that its wood products
\nwere made from illegally-felled Indonesian timber.<\/p>\n
Foreign affairs ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said the
\nallegations that Malaysia and Singapore were importing illegal
\nlogs from Indonesia were based on factual conditions in the
\nfield.<\/p>\n
\"The remarks were referring to factual conditions that appear
\nto strongly indicate the existence of such practices,\" said
\nMarty, referring to a statement made by forestry minister M.
\nPrakosa that illegal logs smuggled out of the country were being
\nbrought to Singapore and Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Following Prakosa's remarks, Malaysian primary industries
\nminister Lim Keng Yaik said that his government would send a
\ndiplomatic protest to Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The Malaysian minister said as quoted by Bernama that
\nIndonesia should not blame others for its own failure to curb
\nillegal logging.<\/p>\n
Marty said his ministry had not yet received any diplomatic
\nnotes from Malaysia, and gave assurances that there would not be
\na diplomatic row with the neighboring country.<\/p>\n
He underlined that illegal logging involved not just the
\ncountry of origin, but also receiving countries that used the
\nlogs.<\/p>\n
According to Marty, Jakarta did not mean to put the blame on
\nother countries for the illegal logging taking place in
\nIndonesia, but was simply noting that all the countries involved
\nhad to do their part to stop the illegal activity.<\/p>\n
\"This is not meant as a charge against any country, but we
\nneed special attention from all countries regarding the processes
\ninvolved in illegal logging,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Marty was commenting on a reported plan by Malaysia to send a
\nprotest note to Jakarta over allegations that most wood-related
\nproducts from Malaysia were illegally derived.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has repeatedly asked neighboring countries Malaysia
\nand Singapore to stop accepting illegal logs from Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Both countries have yet to sign an agreement with Indonesia to
\nminimize the trade in illegal logs.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has signed agreements with the EU and China under
\nwhich they have agreed to reject all goods made from illegal logs
\nor logs coming from dubious sources.<\/p>\n
China used to be the biggest consumer of illegal logs from
\nIndonesia, but has since agreed to combat the crime and stop the
\nflow of the logs.<\/p>\n
\"We know that we have to put our own house in order. There is
\na great deal that the Indonesian government has to do to put an
\nend to these illegal activities,\" Marty said.<\/p>\n
\"However, all relevant countries should also accept their
\nresponsibilities in stopping the illegal trade,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-defends-logging-allegations-against-malaysia-1447893297",
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