PRESS STATEMENT:
20 MARCH 2026 - WARISAN
WELCOMES ILLEGAL TIMBER SEIZURE IN SOOK, CALLS FOR COMPREHENSIVE
INVESTIGATION
Parti
Warisan Pensiangan Division extends its deepest appreciation and
gratitude to the State and Federal enforcement agencies for their
successful operation leading to the seizure of illegal timber worth
millions in Sook, Sabah.
This
seizure clearly validates the long-standing claims made by rural
communities in the Interior of Sabah regarding ongoing illegal
logging activities in the area.
Illegal
logging not only robs the state of its natural resources but also
contributes significantly to environmental disasters, particularly
the recurring floods affecting areas such as Keningau, Tenom, and
Sipitang. Such large-scale flooding would not occur if logging
activities were conducted legally, responsibly, and with proper
approval from the state government.
A
critical question now arises: of all logging activities taking place
in the Interior, how many are actually illegal? Are there “Little
Napoleons” at the district level who have approved or allowed these
illegal operations to persist unchecked?
In
this regard, Warisan calls on the Chief Minister of Sabah, Datuk Seri
Hajiji Mohd Noor, to immediately direct a comprehensive investigation
into all logging activities in the Interior. At the same time, the
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must be engaged to
investigate who the real masterminds behind these illegal logging
operations are.
This
is precisely why Warisan has proposed the establishment of a State
Ombudsman Committee, to enable villagers to directly lodge complaints
on issues such as land grabbing and illegal logging. This mechanism
is crucial to ensure that action can be taken transparently without
interference from the state government or any political parties.
Warisan
remains committed to defending the rights of the people of Sabah and
ensuring that the state’s natural resources are protected from
unlawful exploitation.
— Ends
—
Mudi Dubing
Warisan
Pensiangan Chief
Supreme Council
Member
