MY heartiest congratulations to Sabah Foundation and Merica Group for their JV company Gerak Saga Sdn Bhd having been awarded 2 covetous certificates
[a] Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme Forest Management Certification (MTCS-FMC) and
[b] the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Forest Management/Chain of Custody Certification.
These 2 awards are important in many significant ways because all the logs down to all finished products will be acceptable in the world, meaning worldwide market access.
Now that Gerak Saga has pathed the way, I hope other Sabah ITP companies will be encouraged to seek same recognitions. For more information, please access to Headline news in Daily Express on 24 June 2021
Full-Fledged ITPs with Down-Stream Industrialization can Reduce/Eliminate Pressure on Natural Forest.
ITPs and natural forests are not mutually exclusive nor are they locked in a zero-sum game. They are important complementary parts in Sabah’s future. Successful ITPs plus downstream industrialization can, in fact, reduce or totally eliminate the need to cut down trees from our natural forest.
The ITPs will replace the Government’s revenue source from natural forest timber. This will also give a chance for the existing logged over forests to regenerate for perpetual preservation. We duty bound to keep natural forests for our children’s children!
According to TAS [Timber Association of Sabah], it takes only 400,000 ha planted ITPs to give Sabah a fully integrated viable ITP industry, from tree planting, several levels of down-stream from furniture right down to chemicals, 80,000 skilled jobs, RM11.5B in value for the economy and major investments