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MALAYSIA

Nearly all the states in peninsular Malaysia logged below their annual quota in 1997, primary industries minister Lim Keng Yaik said. "In the last three to four years, the states have kept to their annual coupe (quota).

"Some have even logged below their annual coupe," he said. "States are also spending money rehabilitating their forests," he added.

According to the forestry department's 1997 annual report, Johor, Kcdah, Kelantan, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Selangor and Terengganu logged below their annual coupe. A total of 34,410 hectares (ha) was logged in the peninsula out of the 46,040 ha of annual coupe in all the states and the federal territory. The minister said that unlike the past years, the forestry department did not need to take the states to task for overlogging. However, he said that the department would still monitor the situation closely.

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