KUALA LUMPUR — Feb. 15, 2019: The Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) has clarified that it has nothing to do with the company involved in the forest plantation project at Kledang Saiong and Bukit Kinta forest reserves in Perak.
Instead, its chairman Wong Tack said the permit for the 400-hectare project was approved last December 14 18 to a company under the authority of the state Forestry Department. Neither is MTIB subsidiary, Forest Plantation Sdn. Bhd. (FPDSB), involved.
The management of the company has no links with MTIB and has never been in contact with MTIB on any intention to cooperate in the project under the forest plantation development programme managed by FPDSB, he clarified in response to Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu’s statement.
According to Wong, companies or agencies applying for financing under MTIB’s forest plantation development programme need to fulfil stringent conditions. One is that a project must be carried out on government or privately-owned land and not on permanent forest reserves.
Wong said MTIB only carries out activities in line with the needs and requirements of the Malaysian Timber Industry Board Act. — Bernama