16 concessionaires didn't pay fees<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Disappointed by the government's lack of action, three non-
\ngovernmental organizations have announced that 16 holders of
\nforest utilization licenses (HPH and HPHT holders) evaded paying
\na total of Rp 262.04 billion in reforestation fees and forest
\nresource dues (PSDH) in 2003.<\/p>\n
Obtaining the latest data from the forestry ministry, the
\nIndonesian forum for the environment (Walhi), the Indonesian
\nCorruption Watch (ICW) and Greenomics Indonesia released a list
\nof indebted companies, which are operating on the islands of
\nKalimantan, Papua, Sumatra and Maluku.<\/p>\n
Elfian Effendy, who chairs Greenomics, urged the government to
\ntake firm action against the companies.<\/p>\n
\"The companies have failed to pay their debts to the state.
\nBesides, the money is very important to support the reforestation
\nprogram,\" he said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The debts are almost equivalent to the Rp 625 billion which
\nthe government spent last year on the renovation of around 90,000
\nschool buildings nationwide.<\/p>\n
Last month, the NGOs revealed that 601 forest concessionaires,
\nlogging license (IPK) holders and log production industries, had
\nevaded paying a total of Rp 1.28 trillion in reforestation fees
\nand forest resource dues.<\/p>\n
Both reforestation fees and PSDH are non tax state revenues.
\nThe government requires that forest concessionaires contribute to
\nthe rehabilitation of forests to compensate for the environmental
\nimpact of their activities.<\/p>\n
Lucky Djani of the ICW says that the forestry ministry
\nmust be tougher on the companies.<\/p>\n
\"They (the companies) have many convincing reasons to pay
\ntheir debts. They (the ministry) have the authority to revoke
\nconcessions and permits and could land the companies in prison if
\nnecessary,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Law No. 20\/1997 on non tax state revenues stipulates that
\ncompanies which fail to pay their debts to the state may be
\nsentenced to prison or fined.<\/p>\n
The forestry ministry may also apply Government Regulation No.
\n34\/2002 on forest planning and exploitation which allows the
\ngovernment to revoke the concessions or permits of those who fail
\nto pay reforestation fees and PSDH.<\/p>\n
Lucky said the NGOs were considering publishing the names of
\nthe owners of the companies if they didn't pay their debts.<\/p>\n
\"It's necessary for the forestry ministry to blacklist them,
\nboth the companies and the owners,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Two years ago, the forestry ministry promised to take firm
\naction against 14 forest concessionaires that failed to pay
\nreforestation funds amounting to Rp 675.59 billion. Whether the
\ngovernment can recover this money remains unclear.<\/p>\n
The forestry ministry had issued a regulation requiring
\nconcessionaires to pay reforestation fees and PSDH before they
\ncommenced activities.<\/p>\n
A ministry official said no measures had been taken against
\nthe companies, pending verification of the data from provincial
\nadministrations across the country.<\/p>\n
\"Some of them insist that they have paid the money to
\nprovincial administrations, while the administrations say that
\nthey have not received the money,\" said the official, who wished
\nto remain anonymous.<\/p>\n
The central government has delegated the authority to collect
\nreforestation fees and PSDH to provincial administrations in
\naccordance with regional autonomy.<\/p>\n
Indebted forest concessionaires (HPH and HPHT) companies in 2003:<\/p>\n
Name Area of operation Amount of debt<\/p>\n
(in billions)<\/p>\n
1. PT Sari Bumi Kusuma Central Kalimantan Rp 51.01<\/p>\n
2. PT Kartika Kapuas Sari West Kalimantan Rp 41.27<\/p>\n
3. PT Artika Optima Inti Unit II Papua Rp 21.68<\/p>\n
4. PT Kendari Tunggal Tbk South Sulawesi Rp 18.41<\/p>\n
5. PT Kiani Hutani Lestari East Kalimantan Rp 16.37<\/p>\n
6. PT MSK Timber East Kalimantan Rp 16.32<\/p>\n
7. PT Budi Nyata Papua Rp 16.01<\/p>\n
8. PT Bumi Raya Utama West Kalimantan Rp 12.46<\/p>\n
9. PT Artika Optima Unit I Papua Rp 11.73<\/p>\n
10.PT Belantara Pusaka East Kalimantan Rp 10.60<\/p>\n
11.PT Timber Dana East Kalimantan Rp 10.47<\/p>\n
12.PT Prabu Alaska I Papua Rp 9.52<\/p>\n
13.PT Minas Pagai Lumber West Sumatra Rp 8.28<\/p>\n
14.PT Mangtip Unit I North Maluku Rp 6.26<\/p>\n
15.PT Prabu Alaska II Papua Rp 5.82<\/p>\n
16.PT Kurnia Musi Plywood South Sumatra Rp 5.81<\/p>\n
Source: Greenomics<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/16-concessionaires-didnt-pay-fees-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }