Timber licensing power to Forestry Dept from June

Kota Kinabalu: Effective June 1 this year, the licensing power for timber products for export and import will be transferred from the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) to the Sabah Forestry Department.This follows the decision of the Federal Cabinet in 2012 and 2013 that the power to issue export licences for timber products in Sabah be re-delegated to the department. It subsequently made the same agreement on import of timber products.

The transfer of power was formalised during a signing ceremony between Chief Conservator of Forests, Datuk Sam Mannan, and MTIB Deputy Director, Nurchahaya Hashim, at Le Meridien Hotel, here, Monday.

It was witnessed by Deputy Minister of Plantations, Industries and Commodities, Datuk Datu Nasrun Datu Mansur.

With the transfer of the licensing power, all registration certificates issued by MTIB with validity beyond June 1 this year, unless expired, will continue to remain valid and are deemed to be have been registered as provided for in Section 50(1) to (5) of the Forest (Timber) Enactment 2015, subject to the terms and conditions of the same Enactment.

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New registration under the same Enactment, however, will only be made after the expiry of the registration certificates. Similar recognition will be accorded to the department's equivalent registrations/licences such as export licence, importer's and mill contractor's certificate.

In the meantime, MTIB will continue to renew registration certificates which are expiring until June 1.

Registration of jetty operators dealing with timber for export and import, which are currently not registered by MTIB, will be enforced on January 1 next year, to streamline with the requirements of permits/licence validity issued by the Customs Department and Sabah Ports Authority.

The State Forestry Department will also assume the role of the Management Authority for the management and enforcement of CITES Act on timber listed under CITES, whereby, with effect of the transfer, gaharu planters are now required to be registered with the department.

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The department will be conducting a series of briefings to stakeholders to explain the transfer of the licensing power and the implementation of the new law.

Also present at the signing ceremony were Mannan's deputy, Frederick Kugan, and MTIB Secretary General Dato M Nagarajan. - Leonard Alaza

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