KUCHING, Nov 30 ― The Sarawak Forestry Department has recorded a total of 297 cases of forest offences since 2021 until November this year, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

The Second Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development said out of that total, six cases had been registered for prosecution in court, where all the cases had been resolved with five accused being convicted.

"During the same period, the total sale value of confiscated timber was RM4,398,786 while the total compound collected for forest offences was RM1.3 million.

"From 2020 until October 2023, the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), meanwhile, has recorded a total of 419 cases of offences related to Totally Protected Areas (TPA) and wildlife.

Out of the 48 cases that have been prosecuted in court, Awang Tengah said 41 of those cases had the offenders fined or jailed with the other two cases where the accused were discharged not amounting to an acquittal.

The remaining five cases, he added, are still in the trial process.

Adding on, he said 178 compounds amounting to RM537,000 had been issued, with the remaining 193 cases still in various stages of investigation.

Awang Tengah said this in his ministerial winding-up speech during the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here yesterday. ― Borneo Post