Malaysia will continue to prohibit the export of raw logs, reserving locally harvested timber for domestic processing, officials confirmed this week.

Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, currently overseeing the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, said the policy is designed to ensure that timber harvested locally is directed toward value-added downstream activities. The focus is particularly on furniture production, which has become one of Malaysia’s top export earners.

“We do not allow raw logs to be exported. The intention is for these logs to be utilised domestically for processing,” Johari told the Dewan Rakyat. “If they are turned into furniture or other wood-based products, then we allow those products to be exported.”

He was responding to a question from Tan Hon Ping (PH-Bakri), who asked whether the government planned to restrict log exports to maintain supply for local industries, while also allowing timber imports to reduce pressure on domestic forests.

Johari highlighted that Malaysia’s wood-based furniture industry made a significant contribution to the economy, recording exports worth RM22.3 billion last year.

The government is open to importing timber to support local demand and reduce pressure on natural forests, but imports must meet strict sustainability conditions.

“Yes, we allow the import of logs, but they must come from sustainable sources. If the exporting country practises deforestation without sustainable forest management, then our furniture exports risk losing their recognition as sustainable products in the global market,” he said.

Johari stressed that Malaysia’s export competitiveness depends on compliance with international sustainability standards, warning that any breach could jeopardise market access.