The Minister of Plantations and Commodities, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, announced that the government does not allow any log exports, instead only furniture exports are allowed.
Johari also stated that as of last year, Malaysia's furniture exports abroad reached RM22.3 billion.
Johari said the timber would be used for processing and domestic use.
The statement was made when he was answering a supplementary question from Tan Hong Pin (PH-Bakri) on the government's plan to limit log exports and allow imports from abroad.
He also added that the government allows the import of logs for furniture processing or construction materials, as long as they come from countries that practice the concept of sustainable plantations.
If the timber is obtained from countries with unsustainable plantations, it risks contributing to illegal logging and affecting the eligibility of local furniture to be categorized as sustainable.
