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Indonesia and Malaysia Agree to Settle Illegal Logging Problems
Friday, 10 December, 2004 | 09:58 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Indonesian and Malaysian governments have agreed to eradicate illegal logging crimes by pinpointing the regions in Malaysia used as entry points for the illegal wood and log trade.

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd. Najib Tun Abdul Razak, together with Indonesian Minister of Forestry M.S. Kaban met at the Merdeka Selatan Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday (08/12),

Following the meeting, Minister Kaban said that both Indonesia and Malaysia were discussing how to settle the illegal log trade.

The Malaysian government agreed with the Indonesian government that the illegal log trade would create losses to both countries.

Therefore, there will be continuing talks on deciding which areas are to be used as entry points for the wood trade.

Kaban added,” If wood or logs enter Malaysia outside the agreed areas, then these shipments must be illegal.”

However, he did not provide details as regards which areas had been proposed by the Indonesian government.

According to Kaban, the areas used as the entry points of the wood or log trade shall be based on specific criteria, including those that are beneficial from and economic point of view, as well as those where wood smuggling attempts can be prevented.

He said he hoped that discussions regarding this matter could be conducted in a minister-level forum.

“I hope that we will be able to hold this forum within the next one or two weeks,” Kaban stated.

Malaysian Deputy PM Abdul Razak said that the bilateral meeting between the Malaysian and Indonesian governments was aimed at determining the official entry points, in this case ports, for wood or log trade between the two countries.

“The agreement between Indonesia and Malaysia could help any efforts to eradicate illegal logging activities,” stated Razak. (Yura Syahrul-Tempo News Room)