Minister denies irregularities in granting forest concessions<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Forestry and Plantations Nur Mahmudi
\nIsmail dismissed on Thursday allegations 51 forest concessions
\nawarded by the ministry were tainted by corruption, collusion and
\nnepotism.<\/p>\n
Nur said he reevaluated the 51 concessions awarded by his
\npredecessor Muslimin Nasution and concluded there was nothing
\nuntoward in the process.<\/p>\n
"Our investigation found no administrative malpractice in the
\nawarding of those concessions," he said during a media
\nconference.<\/p>\n
He added that the investigation focused on the legal basis and
\nprocedures employed in awarding the concessions.<\/p>\n
The issue of corruption, collusion and nepotism, known as KKN,
\nin the awarding of the concessions covering some three million
\nhectares surfaced following recent allegations of bribery in the
\nministry. It was reported that a senior official at the ministry
\nreceived Rp 1 billion (US$142,900) to speed up the licensing of a
\nconcession to 90 days from the 200 days normally required.<\/p>\n
"The fact is that licensing some of the concessions should not
\nhave taken such a long time because it merely involved renewing
\nold (licenses) that had expired," he said.<\/p>\n
He said he could find no evidence of his staff's involvement
\nin KKN.<\/p>\n
He also emphasized that concessionaires renewing their
\nlicenses should pay royalties and other fees only to the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
"Every concessionaire will only be charged $6 per hectare," he
\nsaid, adding that if ministry officials imposed other charges it
\nshould be reported to him.<\/p>\n
He promised to uphold the law in resolving these recent
\nallegations. "But so far, I have not heard any complains from
\nbusinessmen."<\/p>\n
The government recently limited the size of concessions
\nallowed to one company to a maximum of 100,000 hectares in one
\nprovince and 400,000 hectares nationwide.<\/p>\n
The ruling was designed to allow local communities, smaller
\ncompanies and universities to manage forests responsibly so the
\nresource would be sustained.<\/p>\n
"The regulation should not cause controversy, even though
\nlarge concessionaires may feel threatened and insecure about the
\nfuture of their forest-based ventures," the minister said.<\/p>\n
He asked for a thorough review of applications for new forest
\nconcessions in order to prevent manipulation by businessmen
\nattempting to set up cooperatives or small enterprises as fronts
\nto traverse the new ruling. (06)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/minister-denies-irregularities-in-granting-forest-concessions-1447893297",
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