SIBU, Jan 19: Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) has urged the state government to set up fund for natives who are staying inside timber concession and LPF (licence for planted forest) areas.
In a press statement today, its president, Munan Laja said the livelihood of the natives inside these areas have been in hardship for many many years, due to the impact of land clearing and the extraction of timber.
“The plight of these natives must be looked into by the government because it is them who issued licence of planted forest and timber concession areas in the state,” he said.
The government must enforce a fee for every tonne of timber extracted from timber concession areas and planted forest to the fund.
“SWP would like to name the fund as Natives Trust Forestry Fund, whereby every licence holder must contribute to it.
“We propose every licence holders to pay a substantial amount to the fund that is RM2 from timber concession areas and 50 sen from licence of planted forest for every tonne extracted from the areas,” he suggested.
Munan said the prosperity of the industry should be shared with the natives, of which they deserve much. — DayakDaily
