May 13, 2008. /Lesprom.com/. The export value of Malaysian Sarawak's wood products last year decreased by almost 12% to RM 7.737 billion (approx. $2.4 billion) from RM 8.773 billion (approx. $2.7 billion) in 2006, State Planning & Resource Management Minister Datuk Seri Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said. Attributing this to a slack in demand in the major global markets, he said: "This sector faces challenges such as uncertain global markets, pressure from consumers for assurance that the products are from authentic sources, product certification and social issues." He said during winding-up of the State Assembly session here that the forestry sector and wood-based industry continue to be major contributors to the state's socio-economic development. The state government, according to him, will take several proactive steps to strengthen and grow the marketing of wood-based products such as by penetrating new markets, promoting the Sarawak Chain of Custody (CoC) system, proper forest management and curbing uncontrolled and illegal logging. Awang Tengah said that to reinforce enforcement activities against illegal logging, the state government also launched the monitoring, enforcement and protection (MEP) system last March 24. The system, he said, uses modern technology to manage forest resources to root out illegal logging in an effective and speedy manner.