Forestry in Malaysia : An Institutional Overview

Forestry as with all land matters, under the Constitution, is a State matter. Thus the States, numbering 14, have considerable autonomy in decisions on forestry and related matters. However, the Federal Government, having jurisdiction over such issues as defence, education and research, endeavours to coordinate, standardise and advise the States on matters where the States have jurisdiction. However, forestry being a major revenue earner, is jealously guarded by the States. Under such circumstances and recognising the interdependencies of impacts of decisions at the State level, the institutional organisations play an important role in coordinating state activities to ensure that the benefits to the country as a whole are not sacrificed in favour of interests of individual state. Various legislative mechanisms have been established to ensure this coordinated effort. A National Forestry Council forms the apex of national political coordination. The Federal Forestry Department is responsible for coordination of developmental activities at the State level, which are implemented be the State Forestry Departments within Peninsular Malaysia. Research is carried out centrally by the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia(FRIM), a statutory body formed in 1985 from a research division of the Forestry Department. The Stares of Sabah and Sarawak have their own Forestry Departments, independent of the Federal Department, and each with its own research unit independent of FRIM. Tertiary education in forestry is the sole responsibility of the Agricultural University at Serdang with a campus for Diploma level training in Sarawak. In the developmental area in the State of Sabah, institutions have been formed to focus on specific areas of activities. The Sabah Foundation is responsible for the long term development of the State forests with a concession of about one million ha. Sabah Forest Development Authority(SAFODA) was formed to carry out reforestation of denuded areas. Sabah Forest Industries Ltd.(SFI) is responsible for the country's only integrated pulp and paper industry with its own afforestation program to support its resource supply. In Peninsular Malaysia various states have established State Corporations to manage large "sustained yield" concessions. While wildlife and state parks are managed by the respective forestry departments in Sabah and Sarawak, it is the responsibility of a separate department in Peninsula Malaysia called the Department of Wildlife and National Parks(under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment). Timber trade legislation and promotion in the Peninsular is the responsibility of the Malaysian Timber Industries Board(MTIB) for Peninsular Malaysia and the Sarawak Timber Industries Development Corporation(STIDC) in Sarawak. In the area of NGOs ; the Institute of Foresters Malaysia, is the professional body of forestry in the country. A Malaysian Forestry Society caters for the public participation and interest. Other environmentally related NGOs such as the Malayan Nature Society, the Environmental Protection Society, World Wildlife Fund, Friends of the Earth and the Consumers Associations also involve themselves in specific forestry activities. A number of timber trade associations are also formed by the private sector to assist the industries.