“Further uptake for Forest Management Certification In Line With State Government’s Pledge to Promote Sustainable Forestry”
Kuala Lumpur, 30 July 2018– The Sapulut Forest Management Unit (FMU), managed by Sapulut Forest Development Sdn Bhd (Sapulut) became the third FMU in Sabah to be awarded the forest management certification under the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS).
The MTCS Forest Management Certificate was presented to Mr. Norman Wong, the Managing Director of Sapulut Forest Development Sdn. Bhd. on 20 July 2018 in conjuction with the “Majlis Malam Inovasi Jabatan Perhutanan Sabah” held in Sandakan. The Certificate was awarded by Mr. Mohd Azanuddin Salleh, Managing Director of SIRIM QAS International Sdn. Bhd., a MTCS-notified certification body and witnessed by Datuk Sam Mannan, the Chief Conservator of Forests, Sabah Forestry Department and Mr. Yong Teng Koon, CEO of the Malaysia Timber Certification Council (MTCC).
Commenting on the award, Mr. Norman Wong said, “We are very pleased to obtain the forest management certification under the MTCS. It has been our goal as a company to ensure that the forests within the 56,643 ha Sapulut FMU are being managed responsibly. Certification under the MTCS is a demonstration of our commitment to sustainably manage our forest resources so that they continue to play their vital economic, social and environmental roles.”
“MTCC would like to congratulate Sapulut Forest Development Sdn. Bhd. for this significant achievement. In undertaking this certification, Sapulut FMU has raised its own benchmark in forest management as MTCS certification mandates the FMU to continue comply with the stringent requirements of the Malaysian Criteria and Indicators for Forest Management Certification (Natural Forest) through annual surveillance audit. MTCC would also like to appreciate the support of Datuk Sam Mannan in promoting the implementation of sustainable forest management through certification in Sabah,” said MTCC CEO, Mr. Yong Teng Koon.
In addition to Sapulut FMU in Sabah, three other FMUs in Sarawak have recently been certified under the MTCS, namely Ravenscourt FMU, Kapit FMU and Linau FMU. To date, a total of 4.35 million hectars of forest areas have been certified under MTCS.
The MTCS is the first tropical timber certification scheme in Asia Pacific to be endorsed by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), the world’s largest forest certification programme.