MALAYSIA: Sabah beefing up Forest Department to fight corruption
Copyright 2001 Berhad New Straits Times (Malaysia)
November 4, 2001
KOTA KINABALU, Sat. - Professionals including retired police prosecutors have been employed as enforcement officers in the Sabah Forestry Department to beef up its enforcement division and help fight the "culture of greed".
Chief Minister Datuk Chong Kah Kiat said the move was part of efforts to re-organise the department. "Enforcement authorities have to be serious, committed and dedicated.
"There should be no room, no grounds for them to get involved in corrupt practice," he said.
However, it would take a long time before the "culture of greed" could be eliminated or minimised, he added.
Chong was approached by reporters after handing out education grants from the Federal Government to 84 Chinese primary schools in the State at the Kian Kok Independent Chinese School here today.
The grants amounted to RM4.7 million.
Also present at the ceremony were Deputy Education Minister Datuk Hon Choon Kim and State Education Department director Kamal D. E. Quadra.
Chong said under the re-organisation, the department would have one deputy director in charge of enforcement and he was required to go to the ground on a regular basis.
The State Government would also make sure district forest officers (DFO) are personally accountable for their district.
"In the past, a DFO had a superior," he said.
Chong also elaborated on the Forest (Amendment) Enactment 2001 Bill passed by the State Legislative Assembly yesterday.
Among other provisions, it empowers the relevant authorities to arrest any person suspected of committing an offence, including any one found near an area where illegal logging was being carried out.
He said he agreed with Government and Opposition assemblymen who debated the amendment bill that enforcement officers should be credible if the new legislation was to be implemented effectively.
"Illegal logging has been going on for decades and this is what we want to clean up. I am glad the Opposition realises the seriousness of the situation.
"We hope that with their support we can address this bad practice," he said.
Opposition Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan showed the Assembly photographs of logging activities in Kampung Tikolod in his Tambunan constituency which he said were carried out illegally.
Asked about the latest measures being taken by the State Government to improve the financial situation of the Saham Amanah Sabah (SAS) which has nosedived to 19 sen per unit, Chong said State Finance Minister Datuk Musa Aman was looking at ways to solve the problem.
"We are not giving up. I have full confidence in Musa to handle this.
"He is looking into the management system to improve the way we can handle the fund," he said.
To another question, Chong said it might take two or three years to improve the unit trust's position.
"I won't promise (improvement) tomorrow. It may take two to three years.
"I cannot bluff the investors and I don't want to," he said.
Chong said it would be difficult to improve the unit price of SAS quickly due to the present economic slowdown.