Indonesia-Malaysia timber pact criticized
Indonesia-Malaysia timber pact criticized
JAKARTA (JP): A House member criticized the Indonesian-
Malaysian cooperation agreement on tropical timber yesterday,
saying that the agreement doesn't address such strategic issues
as optimum utilization of natural resources and border-crossing
trade.
"I support the agreement but I must remind the government that
the border areas have been vulnerable to timber smuggling," said
Imam Churmen, vice-chairman of the House's commission IV for
Agriculture, Forestry Affairs and Transmigration.
Indonesia and Malaysia on Friday agreed to cooperate in
fighting international campaigns against tropical timber and to
conduct joint forestry projects with a view to increasing cost-
efficiency and productivity.
He suggested that the agreement be implemented in a
transparent manner for mutual benefit without intervening in the
internal affairs of each country.
Imam said there has been unfair competition between Indonesia
and Malaysia in the trade of tropical timber.
Indonesia, which has 143 million hectares of forests, has
implemented the principles of sustainable forest management.
Indonesia also bars log exports and implements eco-labeling as
required by the International Tropical Timber Organization, Imam
said.
Malaysia, however, which has only 1.942 million hectares of
forest, still allows log exports, he added.
"This is strange because Malaysia, whose forests are much
smaller than ours, can export logs and plywood in large volumes,"
Imam told Antara.
"If Malaysia wants fair trading competition, it should not
export logs," Imam said, adding that the matter should have been
included in the agreement.
He hoped the agreement would reduce timber smuggling from
Kalimantan to neighboring Malaysia.
He criticized the consuming countries as not fairly treating
Indonesia's timber imports.
"They impose high import tariffs on processed timber but do
not slap any tariffs on log imports. This is unfair in view of
their great concern over deforestation," Imam said.(01)