Malaysia: 4,500 illegally felled mangrove logs seized

Stuart Michael The Star 14 Aug 12;

KLANG: About 4,500 mangrove logs, a 10-tonne lorry and a boat were seized during a raid on a storage shed in Kampung Pendamar, Pandamaran here.

The raid was carried out by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday.

Four workers ecaped by jumping into sea after MMEA officers seized the boat.

An MMEA officer, who did not want to be named, said the site had been under surveillance for the past two weeks.

“The act of stealing mangrove logs is rampant in the islands near Port Klang. There are many operators involved in felling the mangrove logs illegally.

“We are going on a major operation to catch the main operators and not just the workers,'' he said.

Each mangrove log sells for RM17 and is mainly used in the construction industry.

A state forestry department officer who was present at the site was also questioned by the raiding team.

An MACC officer, who requested anonymity, said it would send a letter to the department seeking an explanation on why mangrove logs were still being sold in the area despite a statewide ban since 2010.

“This operator was caught in 2010 and is still operating.

“We also want an explanation on why the state forestry officer was in the area,'' he said.

Selangor Forestry director Yusoff Muda said his officers had seized the logs and placed yellow tape over them and the vehicle.

MACC queries ranger over illegal logging
G. Surach New Straits Times 14 Aug 12;

DERELICTION OF DUTY: 2 men allowed to harvest mangroves without permit

KLANG: A RANGER with the Selangor Forestry Department was quizzed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for failing to discharge his duties during a sting operation in which two locals were detained at an illegal jetty in Kampung Nelayan Pendamar, here, yesterday.

'It is believed the ranger, in his 40s, had not prevented the two, aged 51 and 33, from loading mangrove logs onto a lorry when MACC officers arrived at the scene. The locals were detained later by other Forestry Department officials.

MACC senior assistant enforcement chief Mhd Yussof Zakaria, said the graft-busting body acted after receiving a tip-off by officials from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency following their operation on Sunday, when they seized several boats and discovered the illegal jetty.

During Sunday's operation, three men, believed to be Indonesians, jumped off the boats that were carrying the logs and escaped.

"We have been monitoring the illegal jetty since Friday, and investigations with our counterparts at MMEA revealed that the mangrove smuggling syndicate had been operating for at least three months.

"It is learnt the ranger had been posted to patrol the area for several months, and we questioned him why he did not report the syndicate to his superiors much sooner," he said at the scene.

Yussof said the mangrove trees were estimated to be worth more than RM100,000.

During yesterday's operation, Forestry Department officials, who arrived later, seized some 4,500 freshly felled mangrove logs worth up RM27,000. Each mangrove log is worth between RM3 and RM6. If sold on black market they could fetch up to RM10 per piece.

Yussof said MACC would obtain further details from the state Forestry Department director on why the ranger did not act.

"They say justice delayed is justice denied. So is delayed enforcement, as it can lead to rampant smuggling and all enforcement agencies must be strict when discharging their duties. Forestry officials must be more vigilant," he said.

According to sources from the MMEA, the suspected mastermind behind the illegal logging syndicate was believed to have been caught for trying to bribe a Forestry Department officer recently.

Meanwhile, a Forestry Department officer said the two suspects claimed they had permits to harvest the mangrove logs for exmport.

However, checks revealed they had no permit as the Selangor Forestry Department had stopped issuing permits to harvest mangroves since July, 2010.