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From oil palm to sustainable timber

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Renald Yeo

Renald Yeo

Published Wed, Oct 4, 2023 · 02:00 PM
    • Chris Chung, founder and chief executive officer of TSG Group, says: “The thing that encourages me is that this is a project where I can attract young Sarawakians… and contribute in some way to the planet.”
    • Chris Chung, founder and chief executive officer of TSG Group, says: “The thing that encourages me is that this is a project where I can attract young Sarawakians… and contribute in some way to the planet.” PHOTO: CHERYL ONG, BT

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    MALAYSIA’S palm oil industry is often associated with deforestation, but one plantation owner in Sarawak hopes to be a force for sustainability by cultivating timber instead.

    Sarawak conglomerate TSG Group has been in the oil palm business for a while, with 11,000 ha – roughly a seventh of Singapore’s landmass – of oil palm in Sarawak.

    In 2016, TSG bought another 10,000-ha plot which was zoned and approved for plantation use. Founder and chief executive officer Chris Chung initially intended to use this for palm oil too. But manpower shortages sent him down a more sustainable path.

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    MalaysiaPalm oilsustainabilityTimberAsean BusinessAseanSpotlight

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