RI soldiers find evidence of illegal logging by Malaysians

The evidence found by members of an army unit guarding the land border with Malaysia from the Siding Post consisted of a bulldozer bearing the Caterpillar brand and 83 logs each 12 meters long and 50 cm in diameter as well as bulldozer tracks crossing the border, chief information officer of the Tanjung Pura Military Command, Lt Col Andi Suyuti, said here Friday.

The find was made by an eight-man patrol led by Lt Ade Tiana on Wednesday (March 5) at a spot about 75 meters from the border, Suyuti said.

When the patrol arrived at the spot nobody was around but it was clear a tree-cutting activity had taken place shortly before, he said.

Later, the bulldozer`s owner, accompanied by a few Malaysian militarymen, came to the location to see the equipment and logs but they left again without any comment.

It turned out the heavy-duty equipment belonged to Malaysian ...