Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia

The Forestry Department started off with the establishment of a small forest department in the Straits Settlements (Penang, Malacca and Singapore) administered by the Land Office. This was followed by the establishment of full-fledged Forestry Departments in the Federated Malay States (Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Perak and Selangor) as well as in the Non-Federated Malay States (Kedah, Johor, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis). 

The establishment of a central government and state governments after the formation of the Federation of Malaya on 1 February 1948 triggered the establishment of two (2) levels of administration, namely, the Forestry Department Headquarters at the federal level and the State Forestry Department at state level.

 Headquarter of Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

IMPORTANT EVENTS

Prior to Independence

1883 : Introduction of the concept of establishing a Forestry Department.

1901 : Establishment of a Forestry Department and appointment of the first Chief Forest Officer in Malaya (A.M. Burn-Murdoch), and the formulation of a number of regulations pertaining to extraction of forest produce.

1904 : The Matang Mangrove Forest was brought under systematic management with the formulation and implementation of the first Matang Mangrove Forest Working Plan.

1918 : Beginning of research in forestry and the appointment of the first Forest Research Officer in Malaya (Dr. F.W. Fox-worthy).

1921 : Publication of the first Malayan Forest Records series.

1925 : Establishment of trial forest plantations.

1926 : Establishment of the School of Forestry in Kepong under the supervision of D.H. Hodgson.

1931 : First publication of The Malayan Forester.

1948 : Formulation of the Malayan Uniform System (MUS).

1952 : Formulation of the Interim Forest Policy.

1953 : Publication of the Malayan Forest Research Pamphlet.

After Independence

1971 : Establishment of the National Forestry Council (NFC) by the National Land Council (NLC).

1973 : Establishment of the Forestry College in Kepong with the first batch of forestry officers trained at diploma level.

: Establishment of the Logging Training Centre in Terengganu with the first batch of students trained in logging.

1977 : The National Forestry Policy (NFP) was passed

by the National Land Council (later revised in 1978).

1978 : Introduction and implementation of Selective Management System (SMS).

1982 : Launching of Compensatory Forest Plantation Programme to meet the shortfall in timber supply.

1984 : Passing of the National Forestry Act (Act 313) and Wood-Based Industries Act (Act 314).

1999 : Launching and implementation of Forest Road Specification (Feeder Roads and Skid Trails) for Peninsular Malaysia, 1999.

2001 : FDPM celebrated its 100th anniversary.

2002 : FDPM received the MS ISO 9002:1994 Quality System certification.

2003 : Launching and implementation of Guidelines for Reduced Impact Logging in Peninsular Malaysia, 2003.

2004 : FDPM was transferred to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE), Malaysia.

: All eight states comprising Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Selangor and Terengganu received the Certificate for Forest Management from the Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) for compliance with the requirements of MC& I (2001).

2005 : Implementation of the forest certification standard, MC&I (2002), which is based on the principles and criteria of the Forest Stewardship Council.

: Implementation of the Project on the Planting of Mangroves and Other Suitable Tree Species along the National coastline.

2006 : Launching of Forest in the City at Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve, Kuala Lumpur.

2007 : Launching of Forest Rescue Team (‘FOREST’) and public complaints SMS line 32232.

2008 : Seven of eight states comprising Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Selangor and Terengganu received the Certificate for Forest Management from the Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) for compliance with the requirements of MC& I (2002).