Minister of Environment and Forestry Promises to Control and Open Data on Illegal Palm Oil Plantations

Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar emphasized that there is no whitening of illegal plantations in forest areas, but rather governance of the palm oil industry. He promised to open up the governance data.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Menteri LHK Janjikan Penertiban dan Buka Data Perkebunan Sawit Ilegal

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Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya Bakar, visited Bukit Tangkiling Nature Tourism Park in Palangkaraya City, Central Kalimantan, on Wednesday (8/11/2023) to attend the National Nature Conservation Day 2023. She was welcomed with a traditional Pantan cutting ceremony and Dayak dance in Kalteng.

PALANGKARAYA, KOMPAS - Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya, promised to disclose data on illegal plantations and the palm oil management results conducted by the Palm Oil Task Force established by the central government. Siti also asserted that there will be no amnesty for illegal palm oil plantations, as the efforts taken are in accordance with the applicable policies.

She expressed this during a press conference at the peak event of the National Nature Conservation Day (NNCD) 2023 celebration in Bukit Tangkiling Natural Park, Palangkaraya City, Central Kalimantan, on Wednesday (11/8/2023). Siti Nurbaya Bakar, in her meeting with the media, stated that she would ask the Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Bambang Hendroyono, to hold a press conference as soon as possible to disclose data from the palm oil task force regarding the illegal plantations in forest areas.

"The data is complete, nothing is being concealed. Later, I will ask the secretary general to hold a press conference, and there will be no whitewashing," said Siti.

Siti added that the issue of palm oil plantations encroaching into forest areas has been a problem for decades due to regulatory issues. This problem arose because regional autonomy policies allowed district heads and mayors to issue permits for the establishment of palm oil plantations.

The regulation issue, said Siti, was happened in May 1999. At that time, the Forestry Law was issued, followed by the Plantation Law, and then the Spatial Planning Law. The regulation has made plantation permits that have already been issued, which enter forest areas, become illegal. The issue of illegality must be assessed on a case by case basis because each permit that has been issued can be different.

"Many regents are issuing permits without any concern. Regent indeed has the authority to issue permits, but is it in accordance with Law Number 24 of 1992 concerning Spatial Planning," said Siti. Note: The article does not contain any of the forbidden words.

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One of the trucks carrying fresh palm fruit bunches passed by on the road of one of the palm plantations in Kotawaringin Timur, Central Kalimantan, on Wednesday (9/9/2020). Kotawaringin Timur is an area with the largest total area of palm plantations in Kalteng, and even Indonesia.

Siti added, as long as the palm oil plantation permit complies with the spatial planning, there is no need to question it. "The most important thing is to see what the forest is like after (permitting). "This has all been regulated very technically, so if there is no permit at all, well, just imagine, all this time people have been shouting about forests being destroyed too, well now we are managing it," he added. .

Siti added that in the arrangement of illegal plantations within forest areas, they will review each permit. If a plantation is located within a conservation or protected forest area, it must be returned to the country.

"If in other usage areas (and production forests), we have to study it first, if it has become a business use right (HGU) what the process is like (becoming HGU), whether it is correct or not, then we will see later," said Siti.

"For community gardens located within forest areas," said Siti, "the arrangement is easier as the community only has a limited land of 5 hectares. It's strange that there are communities who own 300-600 hectares of land. Can you believe that they can manage such vast lands? That's why it needs to be arranged again," she said.

Also read: Palm Oil Task Force Begins to Control Palm Oil Entry into Forests in Central Kalimantan

Siti explained that data related to forest areas and sustainability of palm plantation owned by companies or communities have already been received by KLHK. They have even issued a decree for each report that has been received, both from the relevant company or community.

"Even from reports or other institutions, we have collected them. Now we have reached the 18th SK (decree), and when the time comes, we will reveal it. The data is there, don't worry," said Siti.

Based on data from the National Reconciliation Palm Oil Plantation 2019, palm oil plantations located within forest areas reached 3.37 million hectares. Of this amount, 1.49 million hectares are located in limited production forests, and 1.12 million hectares in production forests that can be converted. Additionally, there are 501,572 hectares of palm oil in permanent production forests, 155,119 hectares in protected forests, and 91,074 hectares in converted forests.

In Central Kalimantan alone, 632,133.96 hectares of oil palm plantations are in forest areas. The area is wider than the island of Bali. (Kompas, 6 July 2023).

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The police department in Central Kalimantan conducted an investigation at the crime scene of a shooting in which one person was fatally shot. The investigation took place on Wednesday (10/11/2023) in Bangkal village, Seruyan district, Kalteng.

Head of the Plantation Department of Central Kalimantan, Rizky Badjuri, explained that illegal palm plantations in Central Kalimantan are currently being evaluated by a palm task force team established by the central government. Unfortunately, his department was not heavily involved so he does not yet know the results of the team's work.

According to Rizky, the conflict in Seruyan Regency, Central Kalimantan, could serve as an example of a proper solution for palm oil plantation conflicts in forest areas. The regional government, together with the palm oil companies, is providing palm plantations in areas designated for other purposes (APL) to the local communities.

"Perhaps this could be a demonstration plot, as if oil palm entered a protected area, it should be returned to the country. If it's APL, we'll turn it into a community palm plantation, like in Seruyan," said Rizky.

The conflict in Seruyan Regency, Central Kalimantan, could serve as an example of a proper solution to palm oil plantations encroaching on forest areas. The local government and palm oil companies provided palm oil plantations in areas designated for other purposes (APL) to the community.

Observing this, Executive Director of Indonesia's Kalteng Environmental Discourse Forum, Bayu Herinata, explains that from the information he has gathered, whitening cannot be avoided. Sanctions should be imposed on companies that engage in activities above forest areas.

"If the context is palm oil governance, a comprehensive evaluation of licensing must be carried out first because there are strong indications of violations," Bayu stated.

Also read: Both become charcoal burned by oil palm plantation conflict in Seruyan