PETALING JAYA: The Sabah forestry department has denied a claim that there is illegal logging in the Maliau Basin forest reserve, saying images posted on the Internet show equipment markings unfamiliar to the state.

Sabah’s Chief Conservator of Forests Sam Mannan said the claims by the group called Gerakan Anak Muda Selamatkan Sabah were false, accusing it of defamation and spreading “malicious untruths”.

“The photos that are making rounds in social media could have been taken anywhere on the island of Borneo.

“The most glaring inconsistency in these allegations is that the equipment shown reflected registration markings not found in Sabah,” he said.

Mannan said Maliau Basin was categorised as a totally protected area (TPA) and could not be licenced for logging.

“The forestry department’s anti-poaching team visited the area recently and confirmed its sanctity,” he said, adding that the forest reserve was managed for research and conservation only.

He said it was also well protected with the presence of NGOs, researchers, tourists and Yayasan Sabah, as well as the department’s own surveillance.

“Its proximity to the Kalabakan highway and easy accessibility also means any suspicious activities would have been detected immediately,” Mannan said, adding that “deranged reporting” was wasting public resources and manpower to respond to the claims.

Mannan said the state government is internationally recognised for its forest conservation and environmental protection measures.

Yesterday, Gerakan Anak Muda Selamatkan Sabah said Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman should be held responsible following “new evidence” of logging activities.

The group also provided photographs of felled tree stumps, tractors and lorries carrying timber.

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