Sarawak's paper industry

Sarawak's paper industry

KUALA LUMPUR (UPI): The east Malaysian state of Sarawak is poised to become a major paper and pulp center in Southeast Asia with the setting up of a $700 million Borneo Pulp and Paper Sdn Bhd, Business said Saturday.

The project is a 40 -- 60 joint venture between the Sarawak Timber Development Industries Corporation and Singapore-based Asia Pulp and Paper Company Ltd.

STDIC general manager Abdillah Abdul Rahim said a logged-over area of 740,000 acre (300,000 hectares) has been secured for the new company's source of hardwood timber for the manufacture of pulp and paper.

"Initially, about 20,000 hectares (49,400 acres) of forest will be felled over five years for pulp and paper," he said.