Govt urged to decide on illegal logging in Riau

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru

A House of Representatives team of legislators slammed the government for its slow handling of illegal logging in Riau, lamenting its effect on two major pulp and paper mills and the investment climate in the country.

The 17-member team of the House's forest, plantation and agriculture commission questioned the prolonged confiscation of hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of mixed wood belonging to PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP) and PT Indah Kiat Pulp and Paper (IKPP) in Pelalawan and Siak regencies, respectively, and the two companies' commitment to forest conservation and reforestation programs in the province.

"The prolonged seizure of timber shows the government is not tough in handling the illegal logging cases. And in the end, it affects the investment climate in the country," team leader Syarfi Hutauruk said Thursday after making a field tour to the companies' mills and forests in Pangkalan Kerinci, Pelalawan.

The team held preliminary investigations into the case following recent friction between the National Police and the Forestry Ministry over confiscated logs.

The police seized the logs, which were allegedly taken from protected rain forests and national parks in the province and supplied to the two mills by their partner companies. The Forestry Ministry has defended the logs as legal since they were harvested from forest concession areas where licenses were issued by local administrations.

Maruahal Silalahi, a team member of the Democratic Party, blamed the prolonged cases both on the police and the ministry, which he said had no competence and professionalism in enforcing the law.

He said his commission was confused by the absence of an immediate decision from the government following the establishment of a joint government team led by Coordinating Minister for Political, Law and Security Affairs Widodo A.S.

"The President should take harsh action against those found unprofessional in handling the cases and order the prosecution of those allegedly involved in illegal logging activities," he said.

Ganjar Pranowo, a team member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, criticized the President for his failure to replace the National Police chief or the forestry minister.

Both IKPP and RAPP lodged complaints in separate meetings with the team, saying they were ready to be held responsible if their mills were found guilty.

IKPP president Gandhi Sulistiyanto said it was too risky for a publicly listed company like his to get involved in illegal logging, and challenged the team to visit its industrial forests in the province to check whether his mill had supplied illegal logs or looted the conservation areas.

RAPP president Rudy Fajar concurred.

"We have never used raw materials obtained through illegal logging, and any of our partner companies supplying timber from conservation forests should be punished harshly."

The team also sought clarification from RAPP on its commitment to help cope with problems of unemployment and poverty after a report was filed by Pelawan Regent Asmun Jafar that its partner companies had supplied the illegal logs.