Daily Express Subscriber
Sign in to your account.

KOTA KINABALU: The State Government on Thursday launched the Sabah Timber Legality Assurance System Plus (Sabah TLAS+) Booklet, marking Sabah’s readiness to trade responsibly, safeguard forests and meet global market requirements, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said.

He said Sabah TLAS+ is the first system globally to align legality requirements comprehensively, the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) deforestation-free standards, and voluntary sustainability principles within a single integrated framework.

“This positions Sabah at the forefront of global regulatory and market expectations,” he said at the launch here, with his speech delivered by Deputy Chief Minister cum Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.

Hajiji said the booklet was developed in response to evolving global market demands, including the EUDR expected to take effect by late 2026, and that the State Government, through the Sabah Forestry Department, collaborated with the European Union-Malaysia Cooperation Facility in 2024 to upgrade the existing system to Sabah TLAS+.

He said Sabah TLAS+ integrates digital traceability, geolocation and strengthened social and environmental safeguards to ensure compliance with deforestation-free and forest-degradation-free requirements, while incorporating voluntary principles aligned with the European Union Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive to support environmental, social and governance expectations.