KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians can do their part to elevate the country's wood industry to make it progressive and competitive by using local products whose versatility spans from construction to furniture and decorative items.
Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) director-general Dr Mohd Nor Zamri Mat Amin said it was on a mission to promote and intensify the domestic use of local wood products derived from trees, such as meranti or rubber.
He said the timber industry is Malaysia's third most significant sector, followed by palm oil and rubber.
"As Malaysians, we should be proud of our forest resources, which can be turned into products we can use daily and last for generations.
"For example, we have Rumah Melaka, a gallery where local wood products such as carvings and spinning tops are showcased, and people can buy and incorporate them into their traditional homes or designs.
"We hope industry players and entrepreneurs can heighten the use of local wood by using it more creatively and innovatively to reduce reliance on imports, which is not good for the country.
"Environmentally wise, we want to conduct lean management programme with the industry to minimise waste and ensure the sustainability and efficient use of our forest resources," he said.
To ensure the sustainability of raw materials, he said the government, through the ministry, will embark on an industrial tree plantation programme to cut complete dependency on the forest.
He also emphasised using local wood as building materials to the Masterbuilders Association of Malaysia, hoping engineers and architects would take it up.
However, he acknowledged that there were safety elements and obstacles to address to fulfil the Fire and Rescue Department's requirements.
"We are working with the department and research institutions like the Forest Research Institute Malaysia on fire resistance studies.
"We have met with the department and presented a prototype that is being tested. They welcomed the idea, and they had no objections. Now it is just a matter of convincing them," he said.
Nor Zamri said this at the end of a four-day media trip to the Southern region where journalists journeyed to Negri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor.
It began with a visit to Port Dickson's Sungai Menyala Forest Reserve Tourism Eco-Edu Centre or PD Forest, spanning 1,280ha, gazetted as a research and education centre and a virgin forest reserve.
It boasts an AstroTourism Square recognised in the Malaysia Book of Records as the biggest AstroTourism Square and Largest Sundial in a forest reserve.
It was followed by a visit to Rumah Melaka in Bukit Katil, Melaka, which serves as a one-stop reference centre for the wood industry.
Sitting on 2ha of land, the traditional Melaka-style home gallery, built with the state's signature stone staircase (tangga batu), features various wood decorations in its interior.
There were also visits to LY Furniture Sdn Bhd and Ah Hai Industries Sdn Bhd in Batu Pahat, where high-value wood products are processed.
LY Furniture is one of Malaysia's largest wood bedroom set manufacturers exported to the United States, while Ah Hai Industries produces door jambs, frames and architraves for the Middle East, Western Europe, and Australia markets.
The trip ended with a visit to Johor's Tanjung Piai National Park, recognised as a Ramsar and Wetland of International Importance site.
Nor Zamri said in 2022, the wood industry contributed RM25.2 billion to the country's export earnings.
It marked an increase compared to 2021's export value of RM22.79 billion.
Wood-based products from Malaysia, such as plywood, sawn wood and furniture, were exported to 173 countries, such as the United States, Japan, China, Singapore and Australia.