Muhtar: SFM has been built into the industry since the 1900s. IN recent years, sustainability has been a key concern with primary industries such as timber. But what many may not know is that sustainable forest management practices (SFM) have been built into the industry’s foundation for nearly a century. Under SFM, only specific trees with the right specifications are allowed to be harvested via the selective management system. “Sustainability has been at the core of the timber industry since 1901, when the British introduced the SFM system in Malaya, which is still being practised today, ” said Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) chief executive officer (CEO) Muhtar Suhaili.