Statement by Environmental Officer to DAP secretary-general , Thing Siew Shuen on World Environment Day , 5 June.
Do we have anything to celebrate on World Environment Day when our
Forestry Department has admitted that they are losing the battle
against illegal loggers?
The Malay Mail on 30 May 2008 published an article with the alarming headline "Raped for 13 years". According to the article, some 10000ha of the Raja Musa Forest Reserve in Kuala Selangor have been cleared to make way for oil palm plantations since 1995, and the
authorities appear to be in the dark over the issue.
The size of the cleared area -- 10,000ha – is approximately the size of 10,000 soccer fields. How is it possible that a land area so big has been systematically raped and plundered for 13 years and turned into oil palm plantations without anyone knowing about it?
Ironically, there was a photo that accompanied the report showing a Selangor Forestry Department sign hanging limply on a tree stump with the words "Permanent Forest Reserve. Not allowed to enter without permission".
In fact, an Indonesian worker in the area said he had worked there since 1995 and upon request, was able to produce an application letter requesting permission to deforest the area surrounding the reserve. The letter was dated April 2008.
The response from the officers in the various authorities can only be described as shocking. The president of Kuala Selangor District Council, Haris Kassim, said that the council has never approved any development plans for the area.
The deputy land officer of the council, Kamarozaman Nik Mat, was also unaware of the deforestation taking place, saying, "Anybody doing any work there must have a permit issued by the State Forestry Department or the District Office."
A few days later, Hulu Selangor Forestry Department officer Wan Abdul Hamid Shukri admitted that the department lacked the enforcement personnel and surveillance equipment to prevent unauthorized logging activities. The reserve covers 80000ha of land but the department only has 20 officers working at any one time, making it impossible for them to look after the entire area.
Wan Abdul Hamid Shukri admitted that the forest rangers had been fighting a losing battle, as the culprits are quick to return once the officers leave. They also carry out their activities when the forest rangers are off-duty.
Before more forests are illegally cleared, we must step in to protect our natural heritage as it is a vital part of the ecosystem. We urge the authorities to treat the matter seriously and punish the culprits who are illegally destroying our forests.
At the same time, the government must answer the following questions:
（1） Why is the Forestry Department lacking in forest rangers and surveillance equipment? How are they expected to do their work and protect the forests?
（2） Is there any misconduct or abuse of power on the part of the authorities which has 'allowed' these illegal activities to take place for the last 13 years and still continues to this day?
（3） Even though a number of excavators had been compounded, the illegal activities have continued in the reserve. How effective is the law in dealing with this problem?
（4） How many forest reserves in the country have been illegally cleared and turned into plantation land?
In case we have forgotten, the massive floods in southern Peninsular Malaysia were caused in large part to illegal and uncontrolled logging activities, which resulted in the destruction of vegetation and buffer zones along the river.
To stop the destruction of our forests, the federal government must not only monitor the ability of the state governments in forest resource management but must provide proper support for the enforcement teams such as advanced surveillance equipment and manpower.
THING SIEW SHUEN
民主行动党秘书长环境事务专员邓晓璇于6月5日世界环境日发表声明：
当森林局执法者承认与非法伐木者“打了一场败战”，我们还需要庆祝世界环境日吗？
迎接2008年6月5日世界环境日之际，本地英文报章《马来邮报》报章封面以一个醒目的标题，报道了一则耐人寻味的消息。过去13年，在瓜拉雪兰莪拉惹慕沙（Raja Musa）森林保留地，竟然有人可以在神不知、鬼不觉、官不见的情况下，将1万公顷的森林砍个精光。
10000公顷的森林面积相等于10000足球场。更讽刺的是，新闻照片中，在一大片光秃秃的的土地上，一棵残余的树身上，还竖着一个指示牌写着：永久森林保留地，未经允许，不得入内。
事实上，一名印尼工人透露他们自1995年开始就在那里工作，他也只是出示了一张志期为2008年4月的伐木申请书。
各级官员的反应更是令人吃惊。瓜拉雪兰莪县议会主席哈里斯卡欣指当局未批准任何活动。瓜雪土地局副局长卡玛罗查曼也说：“县议会对于上述地区的伐木活动毫不知情，任何人要在森林保留地进行任何活动，必须获得州森林局或县议会的批准 。”
几天后，我们才看到乌鲁雪兰莪县属森林局官员旺阿都哈密亲自承认，当局在执法人员不足、侦察设备及能力有限的情况下，根本无法阻止非法伐木及翻种棕油的活动。他也指出，森林保留地覆盖了多达80000公顷的面积，但是，当局只有20名官员，在有限的人力下，根本无法全方位顾全森林。
旺阿都哈密承认与非法伐木者“打了一场败战”，因为非法伐木者根本目无法纪，被罚款了还返回森林，又或者等到森林巡逻执法者周末休息时，他们又重返林地继续作业。
为了阻止更多非法伐木的事件，我们必须采取行动保护我们的天然资源，因为那里生态系统最重要的部份之一。我们促请有关当局正视上述事件，并将涉及非法伐木的人士绳之以法。
同时，我们也必须认真检讨以下事项：
（1） 为何县属森林局长期面对人员不足、侦察设备不足的问题，导致他们无法有效力地执法？
（2） 是否有人通过贪污舞弊的途径，在过去13年来，一直纵容非法伐木活动？
（3） 我们的法律是否已经过时，以致刑罚太轻，根本无法对非法伐木者起到阻遏的效果？
（4） 国内究竟还有多少森林保留地，在相同的情况下被伐个精光，然后用以非法种植？
别忘了，两年前发生的南马大水灾，很大程度上归咎于非法、无节制的伐木活动，因为它们破坏了沿河地区的森林植被及缓冲区。
为了不让我们的森林继续遭受破坏，联邦政府不仅应该监督州政府在管理森林资源的能力，还应提供必要的支助，例如：先进的侦察设备和人力资源。
邓晓璇
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