AN OVERVIEW OF ASIAN COMPANIES, IN PARTICULAR MALAYSIAN COMPANIES

Ana Toni in co-operation with Forest Monitor
May 1997

Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

• Asian influx in Latin America

MALAYSIA

• Log Shortage
• Sarawak's Forests and Sustainability
• Environmental and Social Impacts
• Company Operations
• Samling Group of Companies
• WTK Group of Companies
• Rimbunan Hijau Group of Companies
• Berjaya Group

GUYANA

• Foreign Logging Companies in Guyana
• Barama Company Limited (Samling)
• Demerara Timbers Limited (DTL)
• UNAMCO and Case Timbers
• New Requests for Logging Concessions
• The Buchanan Group
• Solid Timber Sendirian Berhad
• Berjaya Group Berhad
• Leeling Timber

SURINAME

• Foreign Logging Concessions
• Berjaya Timber Industries Surinamee N. V
• N.V. Mitra Usaba Sejati Abadi (Musa) Indo-Surinamee
• Suri-Atlantic Industries N. V
• Belize

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

• Implications of the Barnett Inquiry into Illegal Practices
• WTK Realty
• Turama Forest Industries

SOLOMON ISLANDS

CAMBODIA

• Cambodia's Forest Policy and Practice
• Samling in Cambodia
• Macro-Panin
• Overall Situation
• Burma

CONCLUSIONS

• Operations in countries which have little or no enforcement capacity
• Appalling social and environmental record
• Contracts negotiated by companies are often not beneficial to host countries
• Illegal logging practices are widespread
• Corruption appears endemic
• Use of poor forestry management plans
• Lack of transparency in corporate ownership and structure

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Company Audits
• Government Impact Assessments

REFERENCES

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