Programmes to save sentang wood industry drawn up
KOTA BAHARU, Feb 1 (Bernama) -- The Action Committee for the Rehabilitation of Rivers, Trees and Environment Malaysia is drawing up programmes to save the sentang tree (melia excelsa) from neglect.
Its chairman Mohd Noor Ibrahim said the move would also help sentang tree entrepreneurs and provide a source of revenue through the export of sentang wood.
"Among the programmes launched is the collection of signatures from sentang tree growers to urge the government to save the sector," he told Bernama here, Wednesday.
Quoting a figure from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, he said, about 3.5 million sentang trees were cultivated all over the country.
"Sentang tree planters stand to lose about RM10 billion if nothing is done to help the industry," he said.
Mohd Noor said the sentang tree planting campaign was launched by the then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 1997.
The sentang tree is almost similar to jati and nyatoh and is estimated to cost RM3,500 per tonne. It could be exported as sawn wood.
"It could also be used as a raw material for furniture, wood carvings and door frames," he said.
A memorandum has been submitted to the Prime Minister's Department and the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities urging the government to encourage the use of sentang wood including as a construction material.
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