Starting from April 2009, Malaysian timber companies will have to show documents that prove their sawn timber shipped into the US is legally sourced.

Last year, the US market consumed 13 per cent of Malaysia's RM22.65 billion timber exports.

"As timber importers in the US, we just want to cover our legal liability," International Wood Products Association (IWPA) executive vice president Brent McClendon told Business Times in a recent interview in Kuala Lumpur.

"Under the Lacey Act the US government cannot prosecute foreign companies but it can bring our members to court, if we are found to have violated this law," he added.

Established in 1956, IWPA represents more than 200 companies and small trade associations engaged in the import of hardwoods and softwoods from responsibly-managed forests. Association members consist of three key groups, namely; US importers and consuming industries, offshore manufacturers and service providers that facilitate trade.

The US government had recently tightened laws on the long-standing wildlife trafficking statute, the Lacey Act, to prohibit trade in products that contain illegally-logged wood.

It was championed by Democratic Congressman Earl Blumenauer and Senator Ron Wyden. It was reported that Blumenauer said illegal logging cost the US forest products industry over US$1 billion (RM3.55 billion) every year, including US$130-150 million (RM461-RM532 million) to his home state of Oregon.

"The Lacey Act amendment will help protect the environment, help honest businesses and prevent rampant corruption both in the US and abroad," Blumenauer said.

The Environmental Investigation Agency, a Washington DC-based non-profit organisation providing expertise to policymakers on illegal logging and associated international trade estimated that 10 per cent of annual wood product imports into the US, worth some US$3.8 billion (RM13.5 billion), are derived from illegally-logged timber.

IWPA's McClendon said the enforcement of the new declaration requirement will begin from April 1 2009 for plants, timber and solid wood products.

Other products like furniture and paper, will be phased in subsequently over two years.

"We embrace a wide range of methods including certification and independent verification to confirm that the timber comes from legal sources," he said.

While no new legal requirements are being imposed on Malaysian timber exporters, many US importers may ask for copies of the removal pass and timber export licences with their shipment into the US. This is to help US importers fill out a new document under the amended Lacey Act.

"Malaysia is well-positioned to help US importers comply with Lacey Act's new requirements," he added.