ONE ON ONEA TALK WITHMR MOHD KHEIRUDDIN MOHD RANIDirector-General of Malaysian Timber Industry BoardMalaysian Timber Industry Board isa statutory body accredited to theMinistry of Plantation Industries andCommodities (MPIC). Establishedin 1973 by an Act of Parliament,MTIB envisions becoming a primeagency instrumental in promotingand initiating development of the various sectors of the timberindustry and providing technical, marketing and other formsof assistance to ensure their continued growth within a rapidlyindustrialising Malaysian economy.B&I recently met with Mr Mohd Kheiruddin bin MohdRani, who now carries the torch as Director-General of MTIB,succeeding Dato’ Dr Jalaluddin Harun effective September 2019,to learn more on his vision and mission to drive the organisationforward in accomplishing its objectives and in ensuring thetimber industry stays in business during COVID-19 pandemic.B&I: Congratulations on your appointment as the newDirector General of MTIB. Can you briefly highlight your careerleading to the current position?MK: Thank you for your kind wishes. I have been workingat MTIB for over 34 years now, beginning from 1986, servingvarious divisions. I have served as Deputy Director General ofDevelopment and Commercialisation in May 2019 prior to myappointment as the Director General of MTIB.B&I: What are your objectives, visions and future plans forMTIB?MK: Starting from this year, and within the next five years asenvisioned in the two guiding blueprints soon-to-be endorsedby the MPIC, MTIB will be focusing on various strategic efforts tosustain and modernise the Malaysian timber industry towardsincreased resilience and inclusivity within the timber industry.Even though the National Timber Industry Policy (NATIP) 2009-2020 is coming to an end by December 2020 but the strategicthrusts, programmes and outlined by the Policy are still relevantto be expanded and extended within the new Malaysia’s AgriCommodity Policy (DAKN-Subsector Timber Industry) 2021-2025,which is currently at its final stage of formulation by MPIC.In line with this new Policy and to support its frameworks,objectives and strategic thrusts to ensure long-term sustainabilityof the Malaysian timber industry in the near future and withinthe 12 th Malaysia Plan period, MTIB in collaboration with allthe relevant stakeholders of the Malaysian timber industry hasalso drafted the National Timber Industry Strategic Plan (NTISP)2021-2025. This new five-year strategic action plan will serve as aguidance for MTIB and the country’s timber industry at large onthe current and future strategic moves to realise the proposedtargets of achieving RM28 billion by 2025 and RM32.8 billion by2030 in exports of timber products with a value-added ratio of65:35. Thus, this enhances the NATIP’s value addition ratio of60:40.On a personal note, I hope to see the continuation ofthe Forest Plantation Programme (FPP) that has been dulyimplemented by MTIB / MPIC over the last 15 years to reduceexisting pressures on native forest as a source for raw materialsand to ensure its continuous availability for the domestic timberindustry. Tentatively, we have successfully acquired a soft loanfunding of RM500 million to be utilised by the industry overthe next five years, and we are now working to secure anotherRM500 million through the 13 th Malaysia Plan 2025-2030.To enhance inclusivity and shared prosperity under the FPP,community forestry programmes will also be undertaken.In addition, MTIB is working vigorously on the developmentof value-added/downstream processing in the timbermanufacturing industry in order to materialised the NTISP’s newvalue-added target ratio of 65:35. One subsector in the timberindustry targeted to undertake an aggressive shift towardshigher value-added creation is the furniture sector. Currently,Malaysian furniture producers are largely considered as OriginalEquipment Manufacturer (OEM) where the level of creativityand product innovation in respect of design and branding is stillminimal, therefore needed further enhancement. To reversethis unfavourable situation, the timber industry must developor acquire the appropriate value-added processing technologiesand undertake strategic smart partnership collaboration in orderto become a successful Own Brand Manufacturer (OBM).B&I: Statistically, what are the main sectors of timberindustry and the extent of diversification downstream?MK: For the period of January to November 2020, Malaysiaexported around 65% value-added timber products and 35%primary timber products. Value-added timber products normallyconsist of BJC, mouldings and wooden furniture. Furniture isMalaysia’s major timber product, which comprises approximately47% of the total export of Malaysian timber and timberproducts, with USA being our major market. This is followed byplywood with total export worth RM2.6 billion and sawntimberwith total export worth RM2.2 billion.Within the stipulated period, Malaysia imported RM6.1billion worth of timber and timber products, an increase of14% from RM5.3 billion in the previous corresponding period.Furniture, primarily its components, worth RM1.7 billion wasalso imported mostly from the Republic of China. Other major18 Jan-Feb 2021 | www.b-i.biz
MR MOHD KHEIRUDDIN MOHD RANIDirector-General of Malaysian Timber Industry BoardJan-Feb 2021 | www.b-i.biz 19
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