WTK HOLDINGS
- Number of Logging Concessions (1993-2021): 19
- Total Log Exports (2019-2021): 1.3 million cubic meters
- Market share of all log exports (2019-2021): 14%
WTK Cluster ( from "The New
Timber Baron Report")
More than 30 companies registered in Papua New Guinea
appeared to be linked to each other and to have links, through
common directors and shareholders, to the Sarawak (Malaysian)
conglomerate WTK group.
This cluster includes at least nine logging companies, seven of
which exported tropical round logs from PNG during 2019-2021.
According to the groups website, WTK's global operations span
logging, oil palm, real estate, property development,
manufacturing, hotels, and shipping.
The main company in the group appears to be WTK Holdings Berhad,
in which Dato Sri' Patrick Haw Yeong is the Managing Director, and
his father, Datuk Kie Yik Wong is a substantial shareholder. A
large shareholding in WTK Holdings Behad is held by WTK Realty Sdn
Bhd, which appears to be a family-held company. Datuk kie Yik Wong,
is also the chairman of the Sarawak Timber Association. Another key
figure in this cluster is Tiong Sii Huang, who is a member of
Sarawak's State Legislative Assembly.
Between 2019 - 2021, companies that are part of this cluster
exported 1.3 million cubic meters of round logs from 12
concessions in Madang, West Sepik (Sandaun), New Ireland, East New
Britain, Milne Bay, and Central province. Of this, nearly 350,000
cubic meters were exported from a single concession - Amanab
Blocks 1-4 in Sandaun Province. The WTK cluster's large footprint
in PNG also includes seven other concessions that did not operate
in the last three years.
Non-logging companies linked to this cluster appear to be
focused on construction, shipping, oil palm and
supermarkets.
In May 2021, a Malaysian newspaper reported that WTK Holdings
Berhad stated it had no logging operation in PNG. Act Now! and
Jubilee Australia wrote to WTK Holdings Berhad to seek
clarification for this prior to the publication of these findings,
but did not receive a response by the time of
publication.
You can find out more about all ten Timber Barons - PNG's
largest log exporting groups - in the report The New Timber Barons