KUCHING, Jan 5: Two foreign nationals were sentenced to 36 months’ jail by the Sessions Court here yesterday for illegal logging activities.
Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) in a statement disclosed the duo were caught on Dec 26 last year at Kampong Kandis Baru, Bau.
Both accused, Indonesians Asdan Rajidi and Rudi Adiato, pleaded guilty under Section 90 (1) Forest Ordinance 2015 and were sentenced under Section 90 (2) and 79 in the same ordinance by Judge Steve Ritikos to 12 months’ jail each.
The judge also ordered them to be fined RM80,000 or serve another 24 months’ jail if they failed to pay.
Both accused failed to pay the fine.
In addition, the court also ordered each of them to pay RM101,003.50 to the Sarawak state government.
According to the charge sheet, they illegally collected 194 or 38.85 cubic metres of logs of various sizes and species without permit.
All the items were seized by a team of enforcement officers from FDS.
Commenting on the decision, FDS director Datu Hamden Mohammad advised the public not to engage in any illegal logging activities.
“The department is equipped with various modern equipment as well as a competent enforcement team which is constantly monitoring to control our forest and its resources at all time.
“However, we would like to remind the public to continue channeling information on any suspicious logging activities to the department immediately,” the statement read. — DayakDaily
