KUCHING: The Sarawak Timber Association (STA) has established a dedicated carbon committee to oversee and support initiatives in sustainable forest management and the development of carbon credit markets.
STA chairman Datuk Henry Lau Lee Kong said that the association recognises the multi-faceted value of forests, which go beyond timber production to include crucial ecosystem services such as biodiversity conservation, water regulation, and carbon sequestration.
“Understanding that forests are integral to both the environment and the economy, STA is involved in advocating for policies that reflect these diverse roles.
“We are actively engaged in the national discourse on carbon, promoting policies that recognise tropical forests not only as sources of timber, but also as carbon sinks,” he said.
He said this in his speech during the STA Annual General Meeting at Wisma STA today.
He also said that STA supports the development of carbon credit markets, offering licensees the opportunity to earn compensation for the carbon sequestered in well-managed forests.
“This additional revenue stream reinforces the long-term sustainability of forest resources by aligning economic incentives with environmental goals,” he added.
Meanwhile, on another matter, Lau said while Peninsular Malaysia offers financial incentives such as subsidies on machinery and freight charges through the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC), Sarawak currently lacks similar mechanisms.
“To address this disparity, we urge policymakers to consider introducing equivalent incentives in Sarawak to stimulate growth, encourage innovation, and help the downstream sector capitalise on the potential of value-added products.
“We further propose that the Sarawak government reinvest the sales tax collected from timber product exports back into the industry.
“Such reinvestment could fund initiatives including financial support for automation, digitalisation of business processes, and incentives for adopting sustainable practices, mirroring the approach taken by MTC in Peninsular Malaysia,” he said.
