Malaysia to Regulate Medicine Resources Extraction
9/6/99
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Title: Malaysia to Regulate Medicine Resources Extraction
Source: Xinhua
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: September 6, 1999
KUALA LUMPUR (Sept. 6) XINHUA - Malaysia is intended to license the
extraction of natural resources for the traditional medicine industry
in the country, Forestry Department Director-General Zul Mukhshar
said Monday.
The move would ensure that the supply of raw materials from the
forest is sustained and would prevent the extinction of such
resources, he said in Alor Setar of the northern state of Kedah,
Bernama news agency reported.
The official said Malaysia has developed the traditional medicine
industry successfully and needs to look into sustaining the supply of
raw materials now.
Malaysia's traditional medicine sales amounted to 2 billion ringgit
(about 526.315 million U.S. dollars) last year.
He appealed to the industry to venture into planting medicinal herbs
for its long-term supply.
In Malaysia, licenses are so far only required for the extraction of
timber, rattan and bamboo. Under the National Forestry Act 1984,
anybody found guilty of extracting restricted forest products without
a license can be fined up to 500,000 ringgit (about 131,600 dollars).