Big names probed for alleged abuse of forestry funds<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP) A team of seven prosecutors from the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office are investigating the alleged misuse of
\nreforestation funds by five major figures linked to former
\npresident Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Minister of Forestry and Plantations Nur Mahmudi Isma'il said
\non Wednesday the misuse of reforestation funds totaling some Rp
\n784 billion reportedly involved the former president's close
\nfriend Mohamad \"Bob\" Hasan, his eldest daugther Siti Hardijanti
\n\"Tutut\" Rukmana, his half brother Probosutedjo and his other
\nfriends Prajogo Pangestu and Ibrahim Risjad.<\/p>\n
\"The prosecutors will prove the allegations and decide whether
\nthe culprits should be charged under criminal or civil law,\" he
\nsaid on the sidelines of a hearing with House of Representatives
\nCommission III for agriculture and food affairs.<\/p>\n
The report said Prajogo and Soeharto's eldest daughter Tutut,
\nwho controlled some stakes at industrial forest estate developer
\nPT Musi Hutan Persada in South Sumatra, had allegedly manipulated
\nparticular documents regarding the size of the company's 193,500
\nhectares in order to obtain more reforestation funds. Prajogo and
\nTutut allegedly misused about Rp 346.87 billion of reforestation
\nfunds.<\/p>\n
The report alleged that Probosutedjo was given special
\ntreatment by then president Soeharto and the minister of state
\nsecretary in obtaining more reforestation funds. Probosutedjo
\nallegedly manipulated some Rp 144.40 billion of reforestation
\nfunds he received through his industrial forest owner PT Menara
\nHutan Buana, which controls about 268,885 hectares of area in
\nSouth Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
The report also alleged that Soeharto's golf buddy, Mohamad
\n\"Bob\" Hasan, had allegedly misused Rp 207.81 billion in
\nreforestation funds he received for his industrial forest estate
\nPT Surya Hutani Jaya.<\/p>\n
Businessman Ibrahim Risjad allegedly used the reforestation
\nfunds of Rp 85.36 billion assigned by the government for his
\nindustrial forest developer PT Aceh Nusa Indrapuri to, among
\nother things, purchase space at the Menara Batavia building,
\naccording to the report.<\/p>\n
Developers of industrial forest estates are allowed to obtain
\nreforestation funds from the government to finance their forestry
\nprojects as cheap loans. But many used the funds for other
\nbusiness purposes and some even marked up the size of their
\nestates to get larger funds.<\/p>\n
Nur Mahmudi said that in line with the ministry's commitment
\nto curb corruption and other misconduct in the forestry sector
\nhis office had temporarily suspended 46 forest concession
\ncontracts due to alleged flawed documents and improper management
\nby the logging operations.<\/p>\n
\"They may resume operation after our investigation has proven
\nthat they did not violate any regulations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nur Mahmudi added that his office had also considered
\ninvestigating plantation firm PT Tanjung Lingga in Central
\nKalimantan, which is owned by Abdul Rasyid, a member of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly, over allegations of illegal
\nlogging.<\/p>\n
\"Illegal logging practices have definitely taken place in the
\nplantation area. We have received some reports about it. But we
\nhave to prove it first before making any decisions,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The management of Tanjung Lingga was recently accused by local
\nenvironmental group Telapak Indonesia for threatening its
\ndirector Ruwindrijarto and an expert from the Environmental
\nInvestigation Agency, Faith Brunskill, during their visit to the
\nplantation area in January.<\/p>\n
Tanjung Lingga's Abdul Rasyid has strongly denied the
\naccusation and has instead charged the two environmentalists with
\ntrespassing on his property. (cst)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/big-names-probed-for-alleged-abuse-of-forestry-funds-1447893297",
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