KUCHING: The current hot spell in the country calls for all-round support from everyone not to contribute to the already bad haze conditions experienced here.
Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association (Soppoa) fully supports every effort to ensure that the haze situation here will not get worse and has reminded its members to observe the ‘No Open Burning’ regulation without permit from Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB).
“We are grateful that Assistant Minister of Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh, on June 23, has assured the public that open burning in Sarawak are occurring in areas outside oil palm estates and are all illegal acts carried out by individuals,” stated Paul Wong, chairman of Soppoa, in a press statement yesterday.
“As stated by the assistant minister, any burning, even those carried out at night, will also be detected by the advanced system using satellite imagery which is similar to those used in Singapore and elsewhere. As responsible corporate organisations, estates and plantations do not want to run foul with the state authorities on issues that could be subject to fines and damage to reputation, like open burning without a permit from NREB,” he added.
According to him, open burning is in fact a real danger to estates as it could lead to uncontrolled burning and destroy the estates or plantations where millions of ringgit have been invested.
“It is not within our Good Agricultural Practices to hold open burning which actually possess a real danger to estates. Under the guidelines of Malaysian Palm Oil Board, which is the authority for oil palm industry in Malaysia, we are not allowed to perform any open burning in estates or plantations without permit,” Wong pointed out.
He confirmed that open burning carried out by individuals outside of estates and plantations are beyond the control of estate operators.
“We are always on the watch-out for any open burning near to our estates as these pose real danger to our oil palms and mills as well as workers if the fire rages out of control and spreads to our estates,” he said.
He advised members of the public who spot any open burning in any area to immediately alert the authorities as these fires can become dangerous to everyone and property especially when blown by the wind.
He assured that should any member estate be caught for open burning, they will be subject to the extent of the law and Soppoa would not defend such acts by its members.
In a recent check with NREB controller, it was confirmed that in general, plantations have adhered to the ‘No Burning’ without a permit policy enforced in the state.
Taken from The Borneo Post
