19 May 2026
The Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) is fully aware of the reports titled “Tainted Timber: Malaysian Certification Failures and UK Imports,” commissioned and published by Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FOE EWNI), and “The Trouble with Timber: Scrutinizing the Effectiveness of Sustainable Certification in Peninsular Malaysia,” published by Rimba Watch Sdn. Bhd. on FOE EWNI’s commission, funded by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, United Kingdom as stated in the Tainted Timber report.
MTCC responded formally to FOE EWNI through their right-of-reply process on 13 March 2026, prior to the publication of the abovementioned reports, to address inaccuracies and provide needful information on the MTCS, justice to which was not done in the published reports. This response that was not previously made public is attached in full as in Appendix to this statement. FOE EWNI has not responded to MTCC’s reply to date.
Any report that disassociates itself from accuracy with this statement “The authors do not guarantee that all information is complete: readers are responsible for assessing the relevance and accuracy of the content of this publication”, as the Trouble with Timber report does, should not ignore the validated reply given by MTCC. FOE EWNI would be well-advised not to rush into publishing questionable and agitational reports, making baseless demands and recommendations.
As you are well aware, MTCC maintains established procedures for the submission and handling of complaints and disputes relating to the operation of the MTCS, as set out in MTCS GD 3003. No formal complaint was received which would have allowed verifiable evidences to be processed and investigated. Instead of using the proper mechanism, FOE EWNI published a report that shifts accountability away from the authors to the readers. This casts doubts on their intention to responsibly seek solutions. Therefore, MTCC questions the motivation behind this action, and calls for those reading the report to demand accuracy and evidence from FOE EWNI.
MTCC Asks for Accurate Information: MTCC encourages all parties, including non-governmental organisations, to make sure the information they share is accurate and reflects the current situation. Reporting responsibly helps everyone to efficiently address the issues based on the established institutional arrangement of the MTCS.
All other parties seeking clarification or accurate, verified details regarding MTCS are encouraged to contact MTCC directly or access our website at www.mtcc.com.my.
End
Download the full statement below.
Publish Date: 19 May 2026