Wondering if the committee had been pressured into making such a decision, Karim said: “I smell something not right here and the public ought to know. The state government is going all out to weed out illegal logging and every new case of seizure is very welcomed by members of the public.”
The Asajaya assemblyman told The Borneo Post that a “no case” decision meant the chopping down of the trees and logging were in compliance with the law of the land.
He was commenting on a Borneo Post front page article headlined “Puzzled over release of seized logs, machinery worth millions” dated Nov 1.
In it the director of the Sarawak Forestry Department Sapuan Ahmad had confirmed the release of the logs and vehicles seized during the raid on alleged illegal timber logging in August.
In the joint raid conducted by a company and the Sarawak Forest Corporation (SFC), about RM7 million worth of illegal logs and heavy machinery were seized in Bintulu.
More than 3,500 logs and 14 units of heavy machinery were handed over to the Forest Department by SFC for appropriate action, the report said.
Sapuan told The Borneo Post that a committee set up to probe the case had decided that there was no case against the companies which logged the area.
Sapuan stressed it was not his decision but that of the investigating committee.
Commenting on this, Karim told The Borneo Post: “Even the director of forests has to make a statement that the decision is not his but (that of) the committee. I smell a rat here and wish to see a more thorough investigation. MACC should also look into this matter and whether there is any element of officials acting beyond their powers. I am just not happy when I read about this matter.”
He said if it was true that the logging had been done without infringing any laws, the logging company should sue the Forestry Department for illegally confiscating its logs and machinery, as well as claim for damages.
According to the report, industry players had expressed dismay following the release of the 3,500 logs and 14 vehicles when there was evidence pointing towards alleged illegal activities.
They also wanted the names of those who had sat on the committee to be made public, The Borneo Post reported.