MIRI: The Sarawak government plans to provide better facilities to the Sarawak Forest Department (SFD) enforcement unit and adopt new technologies that can help combat illegal logging activities, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
“The state government is encouraging the SFD enforcement staff to use technology to help thwart illegal logging.”
He was speaking at the SFD’s excellence service awards here on Thursday night.
Awang Tengah added that the state government had made it mandatory for all long-term timber licence holders to obtain Forest Management Certification (FMC) by 2022, to ensure the state’s forest resources are managed in a sustainable manner.
“I hope that SFD enforcement officers fully utilise facilities provided such as aerial surveillance to combat illegal logging … we have planes for that purpose and we must make use of these facilities to strengthen enforcement.”
A total of 72 SFD staff members from the northern region were presented with excellence service awards during the ceremony while 24 retiring staff members were also feted.
Also present were State Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Datuk Gerawat Gala; State Secretary Datuk Amar Jaul Samion; Minister of Transport Datuk Lee Kim Shin; Assistant Urban Development and Resources Minister Datuk Len Talif Salleh; Assistant Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Sebastian Ting; and SFD director Datuk Hamden Mohammad.
