KL acts over illegal log accusations

KL acts over illegal log accusations

Malaysia will ban imports of squared logs of more than 60 square inches from Indonesia from June 1 in response to criticism the country was a laundering center for illegal timber, Primary Industries Minister Lim Keng Yaik said Tuesday.

The ban on large scantlings and squares, or LSS, from Indonesia comes a year after the Malaysian government imposed a ban on imports of round logs from the neighboring country.

Malaysia will also tighten the issuance of import licenses, with importers required to show proof of legitimate export sources other than Indonesia, Lim said.

"We are making this drastic decision in the interest of the country as well as to erase the negative perception against our timber industry in particular," Lim told a news conference.

Malaysia has come under criticism from international environmental watchdogs for not doing enough to halt imports of illegal Indonesian logs. The country has also been labeled as a laundering center for illegal logs, Lim said.

Malaysia has been importing about 150,000 to 180,000 cubic meters of logs a year in the past few years, according to a speech presented by Lim at an industry event in early 2002. Domestic production of logs is more than 20 million cubic meters with exports totaling 4.1 million cubic meters in 2002. -- Dow Jones