Malaysia told to act on timber smuggling

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia has asked Malaysia to deal with those smuggling ramin from Indonesia, following its recent registration in Appendix 2 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Growing only in swampy areas of Indonesia and Malaysia, ramin (Gonystylus spp.) has long been considered an endangered species.

Indonesia banned in 2001 the logging and export of ramin and placed it in Appendix 3 of CITES, which means Indonesia has imposed a comprehensive ban on the ramin trade.

An undercover investigation by non-governmental organization Telapak and British-based Environment Investigation Agency (EIA) revealed early this year that Malaysia has become the hub of the ramin trade, receiving thousands of tons of illegally logged Indonesian ramin every year, and selling it to unsuspecting consumers around the world.

With ramin fetching up to US$1,000 per cubic meter on the international market, Ramin is used to make everything from baby cribs and pool cues to picture frames and decorative trim.

Koes Saparjadi, the director general of forest protection and natural conservation with the Ministry of Forestry, said over the weekend that all signatory countries of CITES were obliged to protect the endangered ramin trees.

"It is required of all of us that we are not involved in the trade of ramin wood and ramin products, which could push the endangered species to extinction," Koes said.

During the recently concluded CITES meeting in Bangkok, Indonesia successfully pushed to move ramin from Appendix 3 to Appendix 2 of CITES, forcing signatory countries -- either producer or consumer countries -- to ban the trade of ramin and ramin products. Malaysia initially opposed the proposal, but later supported it.

Appendix 3 requires the countries of origin of endangered species to prevent their trade, while Appendix 2 obliges both producer and consumer countries to ban the trade.

Koes said Indonesia, as the "home country" of ramin, would impose a quota and certification for the sale of ramin and its products.

Indonesia banned in 2001 the sale of ramin, a blond tropical hardwood, and registered it under CITES Appendix 3 to curb the illegal trade. Malaysia had taken exception to the clause on ramin.

Currently, Indonesia only recognizes one timber company in Riau as the exporter of ramin as it cultivates the trees, rather than logging them in forests.

The population of ramin, which is mostly found in Kalimantan and on the eastern coast of Sumatra, continues to decrease. Data from the Ministry of Forestry reveals that in 1994 the production of ramin in the country reached 665,245 cubic meters, while this year it recorded 8,000 cubic meters.

According to Telapak and EIA, an illegal Malaysian logging syndicate was involved in the smuggling of ramin from Indonesia to the neighboring country.

The ramin wood was allegedly smuggled from Sumatra to Pasir Gudang Port in Johor Baru, Malaysia, to be made into consumer goods for export to Hong Kong and Shanghai, before finding its way to Europe and the United States.

Telapak and EIA found that around 4,500 cubic meters of ramin wood was smuggled monthly from Sumatra to Johor Baru at a buying price of US$20 per cubic meter, while smugglers sell processed ramin wood for $700 per cubic meter.