Indonesian soldiers find evidence of illegal logging by Malaysians

Antara 12 Apr 08;

Balikpapan (ANTARA News) - Indonesian soldiers assigned in a part of West Kalimantan bordering Malaysia recently found material evidence Malaysians engaged in illegal logging on Indonesian territory, a local military spokesman said.

The evidence found by members of an army unit guarding the land border with Malaysia from the Siding Post consisted of a bulldozer bearing the Caterpillar brand and 83 logs each 12 meters long and 50 cm in diameter as well as bulldozer tracks crossing the border, chief information officer of the Tanjung Pura Military Command, Lt Col Andi Suyuti, said here Friday.

The find was made by an eight-man patrol led by Lt Ade Tiana on Wednesday (March 5) at a spot about 75 meters from the border, Suyuti said.

When the patrol arrived at the spot nobody was around but it was clear a tree-cutting activity had taken place shortly before, he said.

Later, the bulldozer`s owner, accompanied by a few Malaysian militarymen, came to the location to see the equipment and logs but they left again without any comment.

It turned out the heavy-duty equipment belonged to Malaysian timber companies Smart Link Sdn Bhd and Malaystar Sdn Bhd, Suyuti said.

Members of the Indonesian army patrol squad were also able to pinpoint the precise spots where the Malaysians had cut trees, he added.

The bulldozer and the logs were later taken to the border guard post at Jogoi Babang as evidence in a further investigation, Suyuti said. (*)