Na'aman Jaafar
Director of Forest Planning Unit
Forestry Department Headquarters
Peninsula Malaysia
Malaysia
INTRODUCTION
Forests continue to play an important role in the socio-economic development of Malaysia. In addition, they also play an important role in environmental protection and biological diversity conservation, as well as providing a storehouse of medicinal plants for pharmaceutical products. This green heritage is also an important avenue for outdoor recreation while its aesthetic values continue to inspire cultural and spiritual development of humankind. In addition, the forest also serves as a critical source of clean water for both domestic consumption and industrial utilization.
The forestry sector continues to be an important sector in contributing revenues and foreign earnings to boost the economic development of the country. Amongst the important economic contributions of the forestry sector in 1998 are:
The export of timber and timber products from Malaysia amounted to RM14.2 billion. This constituted 5.0% of the total gross export receipts of Malaysia at f.o.b. RM286.8 billion. For Peninsular Malaysia alone, the timber exports (excluding rattan and wooden furniture) fetched a total earning of RM2.5 billion.
The total forest revenue collected by the various State Governments in Peninsular Malaysia in the forms of royalties, premium, cess for forest development, fines, compensations, licenses and fees amounted to RM281.8 million.
The forestry sector provided direct employment to over 200,000 persons in Malaysia. For Peninsular Malaysia alone, the sector provided direct employment to 70,961 persons specifically 10,375 persons in the logging industries, 18,044 persons in sawmilling, 8,926 in the plywood/veneer industry, 7,348 persons in the moulding sector, 21,000 persons in the furniture, match, pencil, woo-wool cement slabs, small-scale rattan and bamboo industries, whilst the public sector employed some 5,268 persons.
The total investment in the major wood-based industries in Peninsular Malaysia alone was estimated to be RM 1,539.9 million comprising RM 725.7 million or 47% in the sawmilling industry, RM 438.4 million or 28% in the plywood/veneer industry and RM 375.8 million or 24% in the wood moulding industry.
Thus, the Forestry Department has been entrusted with a heavy responsibility to ensure that the forest resources are managed and utilised in a sustainable manner and the forestry sector continues to develop in a healthy manner. In facing these challenges and meeting the objectives, the Depart-ment requires timely, relevant and accurate data covering the whole spectrum of forestry sector.
FORESTRY STATISTICS AND DATA COLLECTION
In Malaysia, several government agencies and departments play key roles in forestry data collection and statistics, analysis and dissemination. They include the Ministry of Primary Industries Malaysia, Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB), the Sarawak Timber Industry Board (STIDC), the Department of Statistics, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) and Malaysian Timber Council (MTC).
The Forestry Departments have legal powers to compel licensees of wood-based industries to furnish data or statistics as the Department may require. Data and statistics on forestry are also collected and monitored indirectly through licensing procedures, revenue records and by attaching conditions to the licenses which oblige the licensees of both logging and mills to keep records and submit reports periodically, either on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis to the Forestry Departments. Unfortunately, this process, in practice, is very cumbersome and requires wasteful manpower utlization to obtain results.
Nevertheless, the collection, processing and analysis, storage and dissemination of forestry data and statistics constituted an important component of the administrative functions of the Forestry Department. In this regard, the Forestry Department HQ, Peninsular Malaysia, primarily through its Economic Unit, is responsible for the compilation, analysis and publication of these forestry statistics obtained from the various states or sources. However, as information requirements vary at different levels of policy and decision making, other Units at the Forestry Department HQ, Peninsular Malaysia such as the Forest Management Unit, the Silviculture Unit, the Forest Plantation Unit, the Planning Unit, the Forest Engineering Unit, and the Industrial Development and Utilisation Unit are also involved in data collection based on their respective specialized needs and requirements.
Data collection within the Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia from the field to the Department HQ is primarily based on the "Shuttle Returns System" that has been established for many years. The "Shuttle Returns System" developed has since been reviewed from time to time to improve its timeliness, accuracy of reporting and to widen the scope of coverage where necessary. In this regard, statistics that cannot be collected through the "Shuttle Returns System" are obtained by special surveys, either through official correspondence or by direct interviews at the sources. A large proportion of the statistics in the Annual Report of the Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia is, incidentally, compiled annually using standard questionnaires.
As forestry is a state matter and most of the actual forestry activities are carried out at either the state or district (including forestry district) level, the State Forestry Departments and the District Forest Offices are crucial links in ensuring the success of the statistic collection system. Often, they are the initiators in the flow of information from the field to the Department HQ. In this regard, the crucial roles of the State and District Forest Offices in data and statistics collection can be viewed from the following reasons:
The State Forestry Departments are the authorities in licensing and regulating the forest-based activities or industries of the respective states.
The State and District Forest Offices maintain files and records that serve as sources to all kinds of information. Very often these records are sufficient to satisfy the needs of users.
The State and District Forest Offices have the manpower and facilities to assist the Forestry Department HQ, Peninsular Malaysia to carry out surveys. This can be easily seen from the "Shuttle Returns" that are sent through the District Forest Offices, and it is their responsibilities to ensure that the Shuttle Returns are duly completed and returned to the HQ before the stipulated deadlines. In fact, no survey is carried out without first obtaining the cooperation and assistance of the State and District Forest Offices.
In this context, specific personnel at the State and District Forest Offices are specially assigned to take responsibility in handling information requests and questionnaires sent by the Department HQ. To ensure their competency and to familiarize them to the any new changes or innovation to the "Shuttle Returns", these personnel, whom are also responsible to execute other duties not related to information and statistics collection, are given periodic training. This periodic training is also necessary as these forestry personnel are transferable and continually replaced. In addition, personnel from the Department HQ, most notably from the Economic Unit, are also available to provide assistance and advice in handling these Shuttle Returns, questionnaires or any inquiries. This service is done either through correspondence or field visits whenever necessary.
SOURCES AND METHODS OF FORESTRY DATA COLLECTION
The forestry data and statistics currently collected are multitude in quantity, varies in scope and details, sources and method of collection. Nevertheless, they can be broadly classified into the following categories:
Statistics on forest land;
Statistics on silviculture;
Statistics on forest plantation;
Statistics on forest harvesting;
Statistics on timber;
Statistics on forest or timber-based industry;
Statistics on forestry organisation and administration; and
Statistics on timber trade.
Statistics on forest land
Land and forestry are state matters. This is enshrined in the Federal Constitution of Malaysia. As such, each State is empowered to enact laws and formulate policies to govern land utilization in their respective states. In this regard, forest land can be divided into three main groups, namely Permanent Reserved Forest, Stateland Forest and National Parks and Wildlife Reserves.
Permanent Reserved Forest. As provided by the National Forestry Act, the State Government has the power, by notification in the Gazette, to constitute any land a reserved forest or to decide that any reserved forest, or any portion thereof, shall cease to be reserved. These changes in the areas of the Permanent Reserved Forests are recorded in the registers of reserves kept at the District and the State Forest Offices. The registers of reserves are generally kept well up-to-date. Each reserve register contains information on gazette number, date of gazettement, a photocopy of the page in the Gazette declaring the constitution or excision, detailed location with map, and the area calculated either on a map estimate or on a field survey carried out by the State Survey Department.
In addition, National Forest Inventory which is being carried out once every ten years by the Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia provides further information on the Permanent Reserved Forests. The inventory would define the extent and location of the forested areas and classify them by forest types and broad volume categories. This inventory employs data gathered from sample plots measurement in the field, aerial photographs as well as satellite imageries.
Stateland Forest. The administration of the Stateland Forests rest with the State Land Department but logging on the Stateland Forests is controlled by the State Forestry Department. The area and coverage of the Stateland Forests are determined by the respective State Survey Departments. The State Administrative District Office keeps a register on the area of the stateland forests within its administrative district, on both alienated and non-alienated basis. However, the alienation of stateland forest is executed by specific government agencies involved in land development.
National Parks and Wildlife Reserves. National Parks and Wildlife Reserves are administered and controlled by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment. Statistics on these reserves such as location and land area are compiled by each State Forestry Department and published in the Annual Report.
Statistics on silviculture
After forest harvesting, the logged-over forests are inventoried to assess its status and determine the type of silviculture treatments needed to aid regeneration and to improve forest yields.
Annual silvicultural treatment operations are planned by each State Forestry Department and submitted to the Silviculture Unit in the Forestry Department HQ, Peninsular Malaysia which monitors and coordinates the reforestation program and activities. Amongst the information maintained are progress and achievements of work including the type, extent and location of treatment operations, manpower requirements and costs. At the district and state levels, these activities are entered into the Annual Felling and Treatment Plans and the respective Reserve Records for the compartment and reserve concerned.
Statistics on forest plantation
Forest plantation records are kept and maintained by the District and State Forest Offices involved in plantation establishment. Data on area planted, year, costs and list of contractors are compiled and submitted to the Forest Plantation Unit of the Forestry Department HQ, Peninsular Malaysia which is coordinating the implementation of the plantation projects.
Statistics on forest harvesting
Forest harvesting from both the Permanent Reserved Forest and Stateland/Alienated Land Forests is regulated by licenses issued by the State Forestry Departments. Information captured in the license form include serial number, name and address of holder, date of issue and expiry, map and boundary description, logging prescriptions, name and location of checking station where the produce is to be measured, payment conditions and road standards and specifications to be adhered to.
Records of licenses issued and cancelled are entered into Shuttle Return forms by each District Forest Office and submitted quarterly to the Forestry Department HQ, Peninsular Malaysia where it is compiled and published in the Forestry Department's various publications.
A register of forest offences and breaches of licenses is also maintained by each State and District Forest Office, detailing the offences committed and the manner they are dealt with. Monthly returns on forest offences are forwarded from the State Forestry Departments to Forestry Department HQ, Peninsular Malaysia. As all licensees must obtain a sub-license for each worker before he is allowed to enter the forest, these records form the basis of employment statistics in the logging sector.
The completed logging activities and other related information such as outturn per hectare, species removed, and others are entered into the Reserve Records and the Annual Felling and Silvicultural Treatment Plans.
Statistics on log production
As in the case of forest harvesting, the District Forest Offices capture and maintained information on log production. These Offices record all the licenses issued for harvesting of forest produce in their register of licenses. In addition, individual files of licenses record various data on production, forest charges, renewals, termination of licenses and others. When the produce is removed, a removal pass is issued for each consignment (truck-loads) which records the type and volume of produce, including the royalties and forest development cess/fund due on that consignment. One copy of the removal pass is forwarded to the Collector of Forest Revenue in the State Forest Office who oversees the collection of revenue and monthly compilation of revenues and volumes by tree species, by licenses, by forest districts and volumes by destination. These statistics are transmitted monthly to the Forestry Department HQ, Peninsular Malaysia through Shuttle Returns, comprising:
Form 1 - Monthly production of logs, poles and minor forest produce and revenue collected;
Form 2 - Monthly log production by producers;
Form 3 - Monthly silviculture cess collection and expenditure; and
Form 6 - Monthly log movement and export of logs to other states.
Statistics on forest or timber-based industry
The operators of the forest or timber-based industry such as sawmills, plywood/veneer mills and moulding mills are required by conditions of their licenses to keep a book of log records that contain information on the number of removal passes, date of entry into the mill, log number, species, volume input into the mills, volume input into the processing machinery, output of converted timber and sales of timber to domestic markets. The information are forwarded by the mills to their respective District Forest Office through the monthly Shuttle Returns who in turn would check, verify and endorse the information and subsequently dispatched them to the Forestry Department HQ, Peninsular Malaysia.
Industry data that are covered by the Shuttle Returns, such as the wood-wool cement plants, pencil factories, Medium Density Fibreboard mills, wood chips, match factories, timber preservation plants and others are monitored through periodic surveys, using questionnaires or direct interviews.
Statistics on forestry organisation and administration
Information on administration, staff deployment and manpower requirements are compiled and recorded at the district, state and federal levels. The number and categories of staff are reported in the Annual Report of the Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia.
In addition, the Forest Planning Unit at the Forestry Department HQ, Peninsular Malaysia also collects and compiles information on the progress of implementation of programs, projects and activities for both the federal and state levels under each Malaysia Plan period. These information, which are gathered monthly and quarterly, include physical and financial achievements for various projects and activities ranging from infrastructure development, forest management and development activities to community forestry projects and human resource development and manpower training.
Statistics on timber trade
Information on timber prices, export volume by species group and destination, import volume by product type and point of origin are captured by the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB). This information is disseminated for both domestic and international consumption through information bulletin published periodically. Forest produce statistics can also be found on the homepages of the MTIB and the Malaysian Timber Council.
ISSUES AND LIMITATIONS
Although the state of forestry statistics can be considered adequate in meeting the current requirements and the procedures for data collection is satisfactory, there is nevertheless a few issues and limitations that need to be addressed in order to enhance data collection efficiency and effectiveness.
The current procedures of information collection and data flow though suffice to meet the needs of the Forestry Departments and the requirements of the industry, it is cumbersome and requires wasteful utilization of human resource. The need for data entry and verification at multiple levels (from the mills, district office to the Forestry Department HQ, Peninsular Malaysia) posed serious limitation as it greatly undermine the objective of a fast, timely and accurate data collection and compilation system. Thus, there is a dire need to fully computerize data capture, analysis and retrieval system which will greatly reduce manpower requirement, time taken and most important of all, errors in data entry and analysis. In this regard, with the advancement of electronic networking, the possibility of formulating an on-line data transfer and retrieval system should be given serious consideration.
In this regard, the Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia had embarked on the Forestry Information System Project since Fifth Malaysia Plan (1986-1990) and carried through the Sixth Malaysia Plan (1991-1995) and continued into the current Seventh Malaysia Plan (1996-2000). Through the project, certain components of the data entry and transfer have been computerized. In addition, Malaysia, with the cooperation of the European Union, had jointly implemented a project to fully computerize forestry information system and develop an on-line forestry data capture and retrieval system. Although the joint project had made some progress towards this end, it was unfortunately terminated before completion.
Timber has been the prime concern of forestry. However other minor and non-timber forest produce such as rattan, bamboo and herbal pharmaceutical products have gained greater, if not equal importance, particularly since the last decade. In consonance with this new development, information on the distribution and volume or quantum of these resources need to be assessed in the field and captured accordingly so that appropriate planning for their management and development can be done accordingly. However, the procedure for their assessment in the field is far from satisfactory. Thus, measures must be taken to develop new techniques and methodologies for their assessment and the subsequent data capture and dissemination so that the availability of the resource can be fully utilized in a sustainable manner.
CONCLUSION
The state of forestry statistics in Malaysia is generally well developed. The data sources are well defined and records kept at the sources are well maintained, especially with regard to data required on a routine basis. Problems that arise are related to personnel competency and priority given to the job, which affect timeliness, interpretation of questions and data, and eventual accuracy of reporting.
The methodologies and procedures used for data collection are also generally adequate and seemed to meet the objectives of data needs of the Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia. The most encouraging aspects for the present and future development of the statistical systems in the forestry sector are:
Malaysia has a well- established forest administration;
Forest resources are under the jurisdiction of the respective states (therefore only 13 forest owners); and
There are many good legislation governing the forestry activities, wood-based industries and the exportation (and importation) of timber and other forest products.
There is nevertheless room for improvement, especially in the use of computer to simplify the compiling, processing, retrieving and analysis of the data collected. The Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia would continue to accord great emphasis to its efforts in computerization and networking. The new and improved procedures and methodologies for the assessment of minor and non-timber forest produce will be similarly given priority in the coming Eighth Malaysia Plan period (2001 - 2005). With these improved facilities and capabilities, both for the assessment in the field and the realization of computerized data base, the Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia is poised to play its technical role more effectively and strive towards more integrated, comprehensive and effective planning and management of the forest resources at all levels of the organization. Similarly, it will enable more effective and efficient monitoring and coordination of forestry activities and operations of the various State Forestry Departments.
