Jakarta, VIVA \u2013 The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) has escalated its\nhandling of the alleged encroachment on the Tanjung Piayu Protected\nForest in Batam City, Riau Islands.<\/p>\n
This time, investigators named PT GTP a corporate suspect after it\nwas allegedly opening up the protected forest area without a permit\nusing heavy machinery.<\/p>\n
The suspect designation was made by investigators from the Forestry\nLaw Enforcement Centre for the Sumatra Region, Directorate General of\nForestry Law Enforcement (Ditjen Gakkum Kehutanan), after finding at\nleast two valid pieces of evidence.<\/p>\n
In the investigation, PT GTP is suspected of using heavy equipment to\nbuild roads and excavate hills in the Tanjung Piayu Protected Forest\narea. The excavated material was then used as landfill.<\/p>\n
Based on crime scene analysis and expert testimony, the activity is\nbelieved to have cleared a forest area of approximately 1.98 hectares.\nInvestigators also found a road around 897 metres long and between 7 and\n11 metres wide, which caused damage to the protected forest\u2019s\nfunction.<\/p>\n
The investigation was carried out by Civil Servant Investigators\n(PPNS) from the Forestry Law Enforcement Centre for the Sumatra Region,\nSection II Pekanbaru, together with the PPNS Supervisory Coordinator of\nthe Riau Islands Regional Police.<\/p>\n
During the process, investigators examined 12 witnesses from various\nparties and sought testimony from two experts, namely an expert in\nforest area mapping and confirmation from the Tanjung Pinang Forest Area\nConsolidation Centre, and an expert in soil and environmental damage\nfrom IPB University. Investigators also held a case review with the PPNS\nSupervisory Coordinator of the Riau Islands Regional Police before\nnaming PT GTP a corporate suspect.<\/p>\n
Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement Dwi Januanto Nugroho\nsaid that law enforcement must target not only field perpetrators but\nalso corporations suspected of being responsible for damage to forest\nareas.<\/p>\n
\u201cLaw enforcement cannot stop at the perpetrators in the field. When a\ncorporation is suspected of controlling, benefiting from, or being\nresponsible for forest encroachment, criminal liability must be directed\nat that corporation in accordance with applicable law. There is no good\nforest governance without strong and integrity-driven law enforcement.\nLikewise, law enforcement will not be effective if it does not serve as\nan entry point for comprehensive improvements to forest governance,\u201d\nsaid Dwi Januanto Nugroho in Jakarta, Tuesday, 28 July 2026.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ministry-of-forestry-names-corporate-suspect-in-batam-protected-forest-encroachment-1785235987", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }