Time to review who gets best cut of Sarawak timber, PBB sec-gen tells chief minister
SIBU, Oct 3 — Sarawak’s timber policy is in need of a review, Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) secretary-general Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi said today, claiming that “certain people” who became very rich from it over the years from are now unfriendly to the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
“If it is true that people in the timber industry are not being nice to us in this coming state election, then we appeal to the chief minister, in the interest of and for the people, to relook and revamp the current timber industry policy,” he said at the PBB mini-convention for the central zone of Sarawak here.
Nanta, who is also the federal Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister, said the issue on the timber industry was one of the resolutions adopted at the mini convention.
He said there is no doubt that the state has benefitted from the timber industry through the imposition of taxes and royalty.
“But at the same time, the industry has made certain people very rich, and it is time for the state government to come out with a new policy, restructure the whole industry and do how things should be done for the overall benefits of the people,” he said.
Chief Minister and PBB president Datuk Abang Johari Openg replied that he will consider all the resolutions adopted at the PBB mini conventions, not just in Sibu, but also recently in Betong and Miri.
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