The Forest Department has targeted July 1 for enforcement of regulations that will make it mandatory for the timber industry to employ only trained workers.

The department has indicated to the Sarawak Timber Association that the Forests (Trained Workmen) Rules would soon be approved by the state Cabinet for enforcement in three months’ time.

Under the Forests (Amendment) Ordinance, 2001, the timber industry is required to employ only trained workers to carry out any prescribed forest activity, including logging and transportation of timber or other forest produce.

An offender faces a fine of up to RM5,000 or a maximum two years’ imprisonment or both.

Upon conviction, any timber licence or permit issued to the offender might be cancelled or suspended.

The Forests (Amendment) Ordi-nance, 2001 came into force in 2002, with the exception of the new provision that requires the timber industry to employ trained workmen.

It is understood that the move is to give time to the industry to train its workers.

In his report presented at the association’s annual general meeting here on Wednesday, chairman Datuk Wong Kie Yik said the association had trained 162 people from various timber companies at the end of last year.

They comprise 52 in tree felling, 68 in log extraction (tractor), 33 in log loading, six in mechanical site preparation and three in clear-fell site preparation. Another 33 are undergoing similar training.

“Most of them are now training operators in their own logging camps,” said Wong.

The association, which collaborates with the New Zealand Forest Industries Training and Education Council to come up with various training programmes since 2004, has also trained 16 assessors and 507 operators.