RI asks Malaysia to jointly probe timber theft<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has suggested the Malaysian government
\nform a joint fact-finding mission to investigate the illegal
\ntimber trade across the border between the eastern part of
\nKalimantan and the Malaysian state of Sabah.<\/p>\n
Secretary-General of the Ministry of Forestry and Plantations
\nSuripto said his ministry made the suggestion to Malaysia on
\nFriday through its ambassador here and it was positively
\nreceived.<\/p>\n
\"The idea was warmly welcomed and the Malaysian ambassador
\nsaid he would communicate it to his government back home,\"
\nSuripto said on Friday after a meeting with Malaysian Ambassador
\nDato Rastam Mohd. Isa.<\/p>\n
He said the meeting discussed the findings from last month's
\nraid on illegal loggers in Tarakan, East Kalimantan, conducted by
\nthe Indonesian Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad). The
\nraid, which was personally ordered by President Abdurrahman
\nWahid, uncovered signs of possible involvement by Malaysian
\ntimber companies and military.<\/p>\n
Suripto said Malaysian timber companies, with the protection
\nof the Malaysian military, had allegedly financed the illegal
\nlogging and timber smuggling activities in cooperation with local
\nlogging firms and errant military personnel.<\/p>\n
Bullet shells and military rations found in the area were
\nidentical to those used by the Malaysian Royal Army.<\/p>\n
Suripto said the Malaysian ambassador told him that the
\nfinding of the rations did not necessarily prove Malaysian
\nmilitary involvement.<\/p>\n
He said the ambassador also told him that Malaysian officials
\nhad found some Indonesian military issue shoes in Sarawak.<\/p>\n
Suripto alleged that timber smuggling in East Kalimantan had
\nbeen going on for at least 10 years.<\/p>\n
He said up to 100,000 cubic meters of illegal timber was
\nsmuggled every month out of Kalimantan and into Malaysia via
\nTarakan, causing the Indonesian government losses of up to US$10
\nmillion a month in potential revenues from the forestry sector.<\/p>\n
Despite the allegations against the military, Suripto said it
\nand police personnel would be involved in the proposed joint
\nfact-finding mission.<\/p>\n
He said Indonesia and Malaysia would also form a joint mission
\nto oversee and assess the reports made by the fact-finding
\nmission.<\/p>\n
\"If everything goes to plan and the Malaysia government agree
\nto our suggestion, I expect the joint fact-finding mission can
\nstart its job immediately so that it will be able to present a
\nreport to the commission by July,\" he said. (cst)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-asks-malaysia-to-jointly-probe-timber-theft-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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