Masing (third left) and others during the briefing by Hamden.
KUCHING (Sept 22): Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing commends the Sarawak Forest Department for their reforestation efforts.
He said he was especially very pleased with the greening concept which the department is practising towards a healthy environment.
At the briefing by the Sarawak Forests Department director Datu Hamden Mohammad in his office yesterday, he said they were told that out of 7.7 million hectares of forest covered areas in Sarawak, 2.1 million is under planted forest.
“This tree plantation is needed in order to ‘feed’ our industrial needs.
“Apart from planting industrial trees like acacia and eucalyptus, big areas are devoted to the planting of indigenous species like meranti, belian, engkabang, selangan batu and many others.
“These are fruit-bearing species, which provide food for our wildlife which thrive in our forests,” Masing, who is also Minister of Infrastructure and Ports Development, said in a statement.
Thus, while catering for Sarawak’s industrial needs, the Forest Department also keeps the bio-diversity of the country’s flora and fauna alive, he added.
Masing, however, said he was told that the locals were not keen in the reforestration programmes, and it is also hard to get foreign workers.
“Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi has suggested that the Forest Department parcel out areas of planted forests, thus allowing the locals to be involved in planting, rather than just giving those areas to big firms only,” he said, referring to the Kapit MP and Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs.