Compliance Checklist / Report

Transcription

1 Licensee Contact Person Office Address Site Address Compliance Checklist / Report Sabah Legality Standard Principles 1-4 Rakyat Berjaya Sdn. Bhd. Expo Utama Sdn. Bhd. (Contractor) Thaijudin Jeman (RBJ Regional Manager) Kwan Choon Fung (Expo Utama Manager) 5 th & 6 th Floor, 255C, UMNO Building, Jalan Dunlop, P.O.Box 60793, Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia TB 4327, Block 31, 3 rd Floor, Fajar Complex, Jalan Haji Karim, P. O. Box 62105, Tawau, Sabah. Reference # G Date of Report Date of close out Telephone Fax Telephone Fax 28 August / / thaijeman@yahoo.com Approved By Dr. Kevin T. Grace Statements GFS Audit Statement # GFS 050 LVS Issuance Date 1 September 2016 Expiration Date 31 August 2017 Assessment Dates August 2016 Assessment Details Scope of Assessment Species GFS Lead Assessor GFS Assessor(s) FDS Staff TLAS Principles 1-4: RIL Timber Harvesting Mixed species from RIL harvesting Mohd. Akram Mansur Siti Radiah Mohamad, Walter Marcus Suriansa Abd. Kadir (ADFO Kalabakan), Saharudin Jumil (KPPM Kalabakan), Judon Lamiting (PPD Kalabakan), Jason Nicholas (PPD Kalabakan) OBJECTIVES: The objective of this checklist is to verify compliance to the Criteria listed in the Sabah Legality Standard as defined by Principles 1-4 for Sabah dated 13 Nov Compliance is defined when all applicable criteria are observed to be compliant. A Minor Gap to any indicator does not constitute non-compliance to a criterion. A Major Gap to any applicable indicator does reflect non-compliance to a criterion. Compliance for a criterion where multiple minor gaps are identified in indicators under the criterion may reflect non-compliance to the criterion. All issues identified under this standard shall be considered appropriate to the scale and degree of forestry operations undertaken by the parties under the agreement. FMU24 Expo Utama Sdn. Bhd. Page 1

2 Overview of Licensee Summary Information Rakyat Berjaya Sdn. Bhd. (RBJ), a subsidiary company of Yayasan Sabah Group who responsible to manage FMU 24 (SFMLA 09/97). The area is located on Coupe YT 4/08 at Gunung Rara Forest Reserve and under the jurisdiction of Kalabakan District Forestry Department. The first EIA report was approved on 31 st July 2009 but the coupe was not operated due to the changes of logging policy that dictates all logging coupes shall implement RIL as mode of the harvesting system. Expo Utama Sdn. Bhd. was appointed by RBJ to carry out the harvesting operation with the implementation of Reduce Impact Logging (RIL). Land use classification: Compartment # Land classification Area (ha) Area (ha) Area (ha) Total Compartment Area Infrastructure NIL Riparian Reserve NIL NIL NIL Steep Area NIL NIL NIL Nett Production Area Remark(s) Closed Closed CHP yet to be approved Environmental context FMU 24 comprises of Gunung Rara Forest Reserve (GRFR) and Kalabakan Forest Reserve (KFR) (Class II Commercial Forest Reserves), VJR Batu Timbang, VJR Ulu Sg. Napagon and VJR Nurod Urod (Class VI Virgin Jungle Reserves). GRFR is identified as a natural wildlife corridor and also known as an important habitat for a few totally protected fauna species (e.g. Banteng, Orang Utan and Borneon Elephant). Sighted wildlife in the area includes the Rhinoceros, Orang Utan, Clouded Leopard, Proboscis Monkey, Wild Buffalo (Tembadau) and Asian Elephant. Maliau Basin Conservation Area (55,840 ha) is a part of FMU 24, which has a separate management plan. Imbak Canyon Conservation Area (16,750 ha) is adjacent to the northern part of FMU24. The areas in between Maliau Basin Conservation Area and FMU 24 production area are designated as buffer zones - Maliau Buffer Zone Area 1 and Maliau Buffer Zone 2. Maliau Buffer Zone Area 1 is only allowed to be harvested once whereas Maliau Buffer Zone 2 is allowed to be harvested as long as RIL technique is applied. The buffer zone areas are also dominated with Mixed Dipterocarp Forest which has not been logged before, thus the area contains high value of merchantable timber resources. The principal FMU24 Expo Utama Sdn. Bhd. Page 2

3 commercial tree families are Dipterocarpaceae, Fagaceae, Apocynaceae, Europhorbiaceae and Lauraceae. RBJ coupes which fall within Maliau Buffer Zone Area 2 are part of YL1/03; part of YL2/03; YT1/09; part of YT1/03; part of YT2/08; YT3/05(1); YT3/05(2); YT3/04; and YT4/08. Two places in FMU 24 are identified as Project Area under Conservation Environment Management Division (CEMD) - RIL 2 Project Area and SUAS Project Area; and 4 areas as conservation area - VJR Batu Timbang, VJR Ulu Sg. Napagon, VJR Nurod Urod and water catchment area (2.160 ha); as well as 2 areas identified for tourism - Tourism Area under CEMD (250 ha) and Wellness/ Eco - Tourism Project Area (1,200 ha). Existing EIA report - RBJ has requested for the EIA renewal to the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) as the EIA has been expired in August An EIA Re-Assessment report was prepared as requested by EPD and approved on 16 th February Social context There are no communities living inside or adjacent to FMU 24. The nearest village to FMU 24 is Kg. Kemandut, which is located by FMU 26 (Luasong). Scope of Assessment The scope of the evaluation is to verify compliance of Expo Utama Sdn. Bhd. with the Sabah Forest Management License Agreement (SFMLA 09/97) for FMU 24. The assessment is in accordance on the terms of the agreement for the Sabah Legality Standard Principles 1-4 dated 13 Nov Site evaluation to verify and report the level of compliance by Expo Utama Sdn. Bhd. and contractors to the standard in respect to each of the criteria within this report. Compliance is defined when the auditee demonstrates that the indicators consist of none or only minor gaps against any applicable criteria of the standard. Non-compliance to the Sabah Legality Standard occurs when the auditee does not demonstrate adequate compliance to a criterion. FMU24 Expo Utama Sdn. Bhd. Page 3

4 Itinerary of Assessment Date 22 Aug 2016 Mon 23 Aug 2016 Tues 24 Aug 2016 Wed 25 Aug 2016 Thurs 26 Aug 2016 Friday Activity Travelling to Tawau, opening meeting at RBJ Tawau, and overnight at Luasong Forestry Centre Field visit to Expo Utama campsite, license boundary, coupe boundary, active operations & riparian reserves Document review Document review and closing meeting Return to Sandakan Highlights of Assessment (Major Gaps = 0; Minor Gaps = 0; Observations = 1) Expo Utama Sdn. Bhd. has complied with the Sabah Legality Standard (Principles 1-4 v01 13 Nov 2013) as no non-compliance was identified during the assessment on August Current status of operations: Harvesting operation in Compartment 370 is yet to be commenced as the CHP is in process to obtain approval from FDS. The previous minor gap for inadequate implementation of relevant mitigation measures to protect the environment had been rectified and closed. The current assessment highlighted one observation for lack of establishment of a fire management plan as stated in the Environment Compliance Report (ECR). Results: (Compliance = 10; Non-Compliance = 0) GAPS raised against indicators & criteria during the August 2016 assessment. GAP Type Checklist Description FMU24 Expo Utama Sdn. Bhd. Page 4

5 Status of GAPS previous outstanding gaps. GAP Type Checklist Status Description of close out 002/2015 Minor Closed Adequate implementations of relevant mitigation measures as stipulated in the approved EIA report were observed. Highlights of Close out visit (if applicable) Not applicable Dates One observation was raised against indicators & criteria during the August 2016 assessment. Obs Checklist Description One non-compliant stated in the Environment Compliance Report regarding the preparation of Forest Fire Management Plan still not being rectified. Recommendations Expo Utama Sdn. Bhd. has demonstrated compliance with the Sabah Legality Standard (Principles 1-4 v01 dated 13 Nov 2014) for FMU 24 and is recommended to receive a GFS Audit Statement and STCC from FDS. Actions required to address the remaining gap and observations identified include: Checklist 2.1.3: To prepare the Forest Fire Management Plan with assistance from FDS and RBJ. The observation shall be addressed before the next surveillance audit (August 2017). End of Summary Report FMU24 Expo Utama Sdn. Bhd. Page 5