Jakarta - Indonesia`s Forestry Ministry is protesting that Malaysian businessmen are buying illegally-sourced and stolen timber from Indonesia.
"We have forwarded the protest to our Foreign Ministry to be forwarded to the Malaysian authorities," Forestry Minister M.S. Kaban was quoted as saying by Antara news agency Monday.
He was at the office of the Anti-Corruption Commission to provide information on a case of "legalising" timber in Pelalawan district in Riau involving the district office there.
According to the Minister, Malaysian companies deliberately source illegally-logged timber stolen from Indonesia forests and he reiterated that this goes against international forestry principles.
"It is clear that Malaysia is behind this smuggling (of timber)," he charged, adding that the situation has been exacerbated by Malaysia exporting the stolen timber to several countries, such as Taiwan, China and Vietnam.
Kaban demanded that legal action be also taken against Malaysian harbour masters who permit the vessels ferrying the illegally-sourced timber to berth and unload at their ports.
Source: www.bernama.com.my (9 April 2008)