Malaysia’s forest resources are managed sustainably to ensure availability of timber and timber products. Malaysia’s timber industry has developed a high credibility to provide quality, legal and sustainable timber according to market demand. To date, a total of 2.06 million cubic meters of MTCS certified timber and timber products have been exported to 68 countries, altogether.

Minister of Primary Industries Teresa Kok said in her speech at the launch of Malaysian Wood Expo 2019  today “September 2019, 4.31 million hectares of our forests are certified under the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS)’s Programme for the Endorsement of the Forest Certification,”

She added “In this regard, the government has established a forest plantation fund to reduce pressure on the native forest. In addition, the industry is also encouraged to utilize alternative materials from non-timber and bio-mass such as bamboo and oil palm trunk,”.

Kok also said that the Malaysian furniture industry had also undergone transformational changes and has become a vibrant industry in terms of the contribution to Malaysia’s economy. Currently, Malaysia has over 3,500 mills located mostly in the peninsula, which constituted around 83 percent while the remaining 17 percent are in Sabah and Sarawak. 

Recently, The Malaysian Wood Expo is jointly organized by the Malaysian Timber Council and Panel & Furniture Group. The three-day event is being held from today to Nov 21.