follow the money to curb forest crime
DESCRIPTION
Presentation by Dato‘ Sri Abu Kassim bin Mohamed, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission,Follow the Money to Curb Forest Crime, The 14th International Anti-Corruption Conference, Thursday, 11 November 2010, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, ThailandTRANSCRIPT
Workshop Title: Follow the Money to Curb Forest CrimeName: Dato‘ Sri Abu Kassim bin MohamedOrganisation: Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission
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Forest crimes of various kinds are universal in many parts of the world and often involve troupe in both producer and consumer countries. The World Bank in 2002 estimates the market value of global annual losses from illegal cutting of forests in public lands at over USD10 billion-more USD10 billion-more than eight timesthan eight times the total official development assistance flows for the sustainable management of forests.
Source: World Bank 2002
Forests are vulnerable to exploitation of both the resource itself and local populations, who may have few other livelihood options. In a downward spiral, poor governance allows corruption, fraud and organised crime to flourish through illegal logging and associated trade.
The consequences of are:The consequences of are:
Unsustainable Forest Exploitation
And Resulting Environmental
Damage
Social Disruption, At Times Leading To Human Rights
Abuses And Conflict
Downward Pressure On
Timber Prices
YEAR INFORMATION RECEIVED
INVESTIGATION PAPER
ARREST
2005 144 13 4
2006 95 8 4
2007 174 20 3
2008 201 18 6
2009 141 14 14
2010 21 10 10
Information Received by MACC on Logging from Year 2005-2010
OPERATIONS Several JOINT-OPERATIONS with State Forestry Departments were carried out in 2010 which resulted in cases of corruption in connection with illegal logging being exposed. Some of the highlights of these cases are as follows:
LOCATION / JOINT
OPERATION
VALUE OFGRATIFICATION
CONFISTICATED / FORFEITED
NO. OF ARREST
Pahang State Forestry
approx. USD18,750
Pahang State Forestry
200 tons of timber (approx. USD375,000)
Maran, Pahang approx. USD1,562 1,500 tons of timber (approx. USD281,250)
3
LOCATION / JOINT
OPERATION
VALUE OFGRATIFICATION
CONFISTICATED / FORFEITED
NO. OF ARREST
Kuala Nerang, Kedah
approx. USD18,750 Timber (approx. USD78,125)
Kajang, Selangor approx. USD625 Timber (approx. USD46,875)
Selangor State Forestry
Department
approx. USD2,187 Timber (approx. USD93,750) + 3
excavators
1
Selangor State Forestry
Department
approx. USD4,687 Timber (approx. USD625,000) + 4
machinery
1
LOCATION / JOINT
OPERATION
VALUE OFGRATIFICATIO
N
CONFISTICATED / FORFEITED
NO. OF ARREST
Perak State Forestry
Department & RELA
Timber (approx. USD312,500)
Perak State Forestry
Department & RELA
Timber (approx. USD156,250) + sawmill sealed
off
Perak State Forestry
Department
Logs (approx. USD78,125) + 4 machinery + 1
lorry
LOCATION / JOINT
OPERATION
VALUE OFGRATIFICATION
CONFISTICATED / FORFEITED
NO. OF ARREST
Johore State Forestry
Department
approx. USD10,937
4
Kedah Forest Department
approx. USD32,812
Cash (approx. USD85,000) +
approx. USD843,750
worth of property
4
Amount of corruption involved in Malaysia concerning illegal logging from the year 2005-2010
= approx. USD216,465