(Aug 20): Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem today described the  decision by the previous administration to bar foreign researchers, ecologists, conservationists and naturalists from conducting studies on the state's forests, particularly its totally protected forests, as “stupid”.

Launching a new study called Research for Intensified Management of Bio-rich Areas of Sarawak (Rimba) and later witnessing the signing of the memorandum of understanding on it, Adenan, who became chief minister last year, said it was “stupid” not to seek foreign expertise “when we don't have the expertise”.

Rimba Sarawak will be the first collaborative international study to gather what the Sarawak Forestry describes as “credible scientific information on the status and health of our totally protected forests so that the appropriate management prescriptions can be formulated for these and other bio-rich areas”.

Sarawak Forestry's research partners are the world renowned Smithsonian Institute, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Lee Kong Chian natural history museum of the National University of Singapore and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

In the collaboration, Sarawak Forestry will group its international research partners with local foresters, ecologists and “other budding scientists so that local expertise and experience will be built up”.

The Rimba Sarawak project sites are at Nanga Segerak and Nanga Bloh in the Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, which is an orangutan sanctuary, at Nanga Delok in the Batang Ai national park and at the Ulu Sebuyau national park.

Adenan also said that Sarawak deserved to be criticised for its previous forest policy.

He said some of the criticism from non-governmental organisations against the state's forest policy which they said led to large scale deforestation were “quite true”.

“I admit there is something wrong with us.”

He said that was why he had gone to London earlier this year, to meet with some of the NGOs and invite them to work with Sarawak “to preserve our forest”.

Since taking over the state leadership, Adenan has drawn up a new forest policy.

It includes no longer granting new timber concession licences, not renewing some of the licences and initiating a campaign against illegal logging.

He also froze the issuance of licences for oil palm plantations, saying Sarawak does not want "to drown in palm oil”. – The Malaysian Insider