Illegal logging paymasters enter RI on fake passports<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan<\/p>\n
Minister of Forestry Malam Sambat Kaban says many illegal logging
\nfinanciers enter the country using fake passports, with most
\nfinanciers from Malaysia or China.<\/p>\n
The financiers are very experienced, which makes their arrest
\nmore difficult, said Kaban on Saturday during a visit to the
\nNorth Sumatra capital of Medan.<\/p>\n
One suspected financier, identified as Lim Bo Hoen,
\nhas been under police observation for a few years but has so far
\nevaded arrest.<\/p>\n
Lim, who has been operating in North Sumatra, has often
\nswitched identities, using Indonesian or Malaysian nationality,
\nsaid the minister.<\/p>\n
Kaban, also the leader of the Crescent Star Party (PBB), said
\nthe practice could be put to a stop if all related government
\nagencies cooperated to prevent illegal logging financiers from
\nentering the country.<\/p>\n
The presence of illegal logging financiers has contributed to
\nthe rapid pace of illegal logging in the country, the driving
\nforce behind the destruction each year of 2.8 million hectares of
\nforest.<\/p>\n
Kaban said that over the past 30 years, some 59.3 million
\nhectares of forest in the country had been destroyed.<\/p>\n
One hundred and twenty million hectares of forested land
\nremains.<\/p>\n
Kaban said most of the illegally felled timber was transported
\nto Malaysia and China.<\/p>\n
The minister said Indonesian officials from the government,
\npolice and military were involved in the illegal timber trade but
\nthe ministry was determined to bring to justice those
\nresponsible.<\/p>\n
Kaban said the ministry had forwarded several names of
\ngovernment officials to the police for investigative purposes.<\/p>\n
Among government officials being investigated is an official
\nin Kota Cane, the capital of Southeast Aceh. Illegal logging was
\nblamed for a landslide in the area two months ago, which killed
\ndozens of people.<\/p>\n
Separately, rector of Medan Area University Yakob Matondang
\nsupported the war against illegal logging but demanded
\nconsistency from the government.<\/p>\n
In most cases, he said, government officials were only eager
\nat the beginning of the drive, but soon lost steam.<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono declared in March a
\nnationwide anti-illegal logging drive. Since then, thousands of
\nillegal loggers have been arrested.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/illegal-logging-paymasters-enter-ri-on-fake-passports-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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