October 5, 2010
Asia Pulse
© 2010 Asia Pulse Pty Limited

INDONESIA ASKS CONSUMER COUNTRIES TO STOP BUYING ILLEGAL LOGS

JAKARTA - Indonesia has asked consumer countries to stop buying wood originating from unknown sources so as to support illegal logging eradication efforts.

Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan said here on Monday Indonesia would require an independent verification of all national processing industries and forest exploitation activities to ensure that they were operating legally.

He announced the measure after handing over certificates to three wood industries that had passed the Wood Legality Verification System (SVLK) test by the Forestry Industry Revitalization Agency (BRIK), as part of efforts to eradicate illegal logging and promote use of legally-procured wood.

"Therefore we have asked other countries to also make the same commitment to eradicate illegal logging by not buying wood whose origin is not clear. Do not only protest and criticize Indonesia," he said.

When visiting China not long ago , he said, a company in that country said that it had imported "Merbau" logs from Malaysia and Singapore, two countries that are known not to be growing the trees.

"Merbau is only found in Papua. How could these two countries have exported Merbau logs," he said.

Hasan also asked law enforcers to support the implementation of SVLK to create a conducive business climate.

"Law enforcers must not `hunt in a zoo` and let illegal wood go while hunting certified logs," he said.

Indonesia as of September 1, 2010 has implemented SVLK involving all parties concerned including business players and community members.

The three companies that received certificates were PD Sinar Agung in Tangerang, PT Karya Guna Ekatama (Pasuruan, East Java) and PT Tanjung Timberindo Industry (Deli Serdang, North Sumatra).

BRIK chairman Soewarni said she believed the implementation of SVLK would be able to increase the country`s exports of wood products.

She said every process of certification would be given a label so that it would not be easy to obtain it.

She said the government hoped with the SVLK certification it would gain international confidence and could prove that the accusation by several foreign organizations that the country`s industries had used illegal logs was not true.

She admitted that exports of wood products had declined due to global economic conditions. She however believed exports could reach US$2 billion from exports of plywood and woodwork products.

The director of PT Tanjung Timberindo Industry, Joefiker, meanwhile said the industry has been waiting for the implementation of SVLK that will assure conducive business climate.

"So far companies that operate legally are even facing hight cost while those that operate illegally are not," he said.