COMMENT The story of the illegal timber trade is a story of violence, killings, corruption and money-laundering. It is no different in Malaysia, even with the Islamic party PAS-led state government of Kelantan.

News of thugs claiming to be policemen allegedly bringing down a blockade set up by an orang asli community on a logging trail between Pos Tohoi and Pos Simpor, last Wednesday, has been deeply distressing for us at the Centre to Combat Corruption & Cronyism (C4).

That several Orang Asli community leaders were arrested had further exacerbated the need to seek real, immediate and urgent solutions.

Forestry director Zahari Ibrahim has since claimed that 7,248 hectares out of more than 600,000 hectares of permanent forest reserves had been illegally exploited throughout Kelantan since the 1980s. We are shocked that such actions have gone unpunished and no enforcement action was taken against the culprits.

The quick denial of Natural Resources Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and the Kelantan Logging Association, has fuelled further suspicion that the full picture is being kept under wraps, and that hidden hands could be involved in protecting the culprits behind the illegal clearing. This begs full disclosure into the real machinations behind the Kelantan timber industry.

Rampant logging was identified as among the causes for the unusual rate of flooding in the east coast state in the last few years, especially the unprecedented mudfloods which swallowed many parts of Kelantan in 2014.

C4 had In March this year, launched an insightful report following a fact-finding mission by a professional team of journalists, seconded by us to study the serious effects of deforestation, the awarding of timber licences and the many questionable administrative practices that have had taints of corruption in them.

Given our ongoing work with government officials in the state, namely the forestry department and the state Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to strengthen forest governance and enforcement policies and protect the forests, curb illegal logging and uphold Orang Asli community rights, C4 deplores the recent episode, where abuse of power, bullying, and encroachment practices remain unchecked and that pledges made in an integrity seminar held last August have not yet taken root.

We urge for

1. A temporary morotarium should be put in place to address urgent concerns of illegal logging.

2. Set up a special committee to investigate claims of illegal logging on forest reserves and on the harrassment complaints made by the Orang Asli community .

3. This special committee should also ascertain if the logging company had complied with all procedures to obtain licences

4. For the PAS government and Menteri Besar Ahmad Yakop to quit their denial syndrome, and show urgent leadership in framing stricter policies for sustainable forest management.

CYNTHIA GABRIEL is executive director, Centre to Combat Corruption & Cronyism (C4).