Kota Kinabalu: Samling Group of Companies has not withdrawn its timber concessions in the forest timber licences issued by the Sarawak Forestry Department (FDS).
It, however, voluntarily withdrew the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS) certification for these concessions.
Its Head of Sustainability and Communications, Melissa Yeoh, said it is important to note that certification is not the same as a concession, and the withdrawal of certification does not prevent Samling from carrying out logging activities in these areas, should it choose to do so.
“That said, Samling is a company committed to sustainable practices and will only log in certified areas. “Samling remains steadfast in our commitment to sustainable forest management practices and especially community engagement.
“The decision to withdraw certain timber certifications from MTCS was driven by a strategic shift towards focusing on certified Industrial Tree Plantations (ITP) and nature-based solutions projects, in alignment with the Sarawak Government’s policy to transition from timber sourced from natural forests to plantations.
“This move is part of our long-term business strategy, not a result of community resistance. Samling remains certified under the MTCS certification scheme in a vast majority of our ITP concessions,” she said in a statement, in response to Daily Express article titled ‘Samling gives in to natives’ timber protest’ published on Feb 22, 2025.
She explained that Samling has already issued a detailed rebuttal regarding these claims, which was published on its website on Feb 21, 2025.
“Additionally, other reputable publications, including The Borneo Post and Malaysiakini, had also covered our response on Feb 20, 2025.”
Given that these clarifications were made public, she said Samling hopes the reporting in Daily Express can reflect the most up-to-date and verified information, as this will help avoid any potential misunderstandings about its operations.
