16 crooked forest concessionaires published
16 crooked forest concessionaires published
Muninggar Sri Saraswati
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Disappointed by the government's lack of action, three non-
governmental organizations have announced that 16 holders of
forest utilization licenses (HPH and HPHT holders) evaded paying
a total of Rp 262.04 billion in reforestation fees and forest
resource dues (PSDH) in 2003.
Obtaining the latest data from the forestry ministry, the
Indonesian forum for the environment (Walhi), the Indonesian
Corruption Watch (ICW) and Greenomics Indonesia released a list
of indebted companies, which are operating on the islands of
Kalimantan, Papua, Sumatra and Maluku.
Elfian Effendy, who chairs Greenomics, urged the government to
take firm action against the companies.
"The companies have failed to pay their debts to the state.
Besides, the money is very important to support the reforestation
program," he said on Tuesday.
The debts are almost equivalent to the Rp 625 billion which
the government spent last year on the renovation of around 90,000
school buildings nationwide.
Last month, the NGOs revealed that 601 forest concessionaires,
logging license (IPK) holders and log production industries, had
evaded paying a total of Rp 1.28 trillion in reforestation fees
and forest resource dues.
Both reforestation fees and PSDH are non tax state revenues.
The government requires that forest concessionaires contribute to
the rehabilitation of forests to compensate for the environmental
impact of their activities.
Lucky Djani of the ICW says that the forestry ministry
must be tougher on the companies.
"They (the companies) have many convincing reasons to pay
their debts. They (the ministry) have the authority to revoke
concessions and permits and could land the companies in prison if
necessary," he said.
Law No. 20/1997 on non tax state revenues stipulates that
companies which fail to pay their debts to the state may be
sentenced to prison or fined.
The forestry ministry may also apply Government Regulation No.
34/2002 on forest planning and exploitation which allows the
government to revoke the concessions or permits of those who fail
to pay reforestation fees and PSDH.
Lucky said the NGOs were considering publishing the names of
the owners of the companies if they didn't pay their debts.
"It's necessary for the forestry ministry to blacklist them,
both the companies and the owners," he said.
Two years ago, the forestry ministry promised to take firm
action against 14 forest concessionaires that failed to pay
reforestation funds amounting to Rp 675.59 billion. Whether the
government can recover this money remains unclear.
The forestry ministry had issued a regulation requiring
concessionaires to pay reforestation fees and PSDH before they
commenced activities.
A ministry official said no measures had been taken against
the companies, pending verification of the data from provincial
administrations across the country.
"Some of them insist that they have paid the money to
provincial administrations, while the administrations say that
they have not received the money," said the official, who wished
to remain anonymous.
The central government has delegated the authority to collect
reforestation fees and PSDH to provincial administrations in
accordance with regional autonomy.
.rm 70
Indebted forest concessionaires (HPH and HPHT) companies in 2003
Name Area of operation Amount of debt
1. PT Sari Bumi Kusuma Central Kalimantan Rp 51.01
2. PT Kartika Kapuas Sari West Kalimantan Rp 41.27
3. PT Artika Optima Inti Unit II Papua Rp 21.68
4. PT Kendari Tunggal Tbk South Sulawesi Rp 18.41
5. PT Kiani Hutani Lestari East Kalimantan Rp 16.37
6. PT MSK Timber East Kalimantan Rp 16.32
7. PT Budi Nyata Papua Rp 16.01
8. PT Bumi Raya Utama West Kalimantan Rp 12.46
9. PT Artika Optima Unit I Papua Rp 11.73
10.PT Belantara Pusaka East Kalimantan Rp 10.60
11.PT Timber Dana East Kalimantan Rp 10.47
12.PT Prabu Alaska I Papua Rp 9.52
13.PT Minas Pagai Lumber West Sumatra Rp 8.28
14.PT Mangtip Unit I North Maluku Rp 6.26
15.PT Prabu Alaska II Papua Rp 5.82
16.PT Kurnia Musi Plywood South Sumatra Rp 5.81
Source: Greenomics