Environment Minister Pledges 'National Ecological Repentance' After Meeting with Sultan HB X
Minister of Environment (LH) Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat held a meeting with the Governor of Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY), Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono (HB) X, today. Following the meeting, Jumhur told reporters that the Ministry of Environment would carry out a national ecological repentance.
The meeting was held behind closed doors at the DIY Governor’s office in the Kepatihan Complex, Yogyakarta city, and lasted roughly one hour.
Afterwards, Jumhur revealed a little of what he and the Sultan had discussed. According to him, the conversation touched on the noble Javanese philosophy of Hamemayu Hayuning Bawono, which means to beautify the beauty of the world.
“We view the environment as being very closely linked to the way humans see things and the way humans preserve culture. That is why I am very keen to gain a complete picture of how to manage nature and manage the environment from a cultural perspective,” said Jumhur at the Kepatihan Complex on Friday (24/7/2026).
“And just now, Ngarsa Dalem conveyed the essence of Hamemayu Hayuning Bawono: if our policy in managing nature is sound, we shall be safe. But if we quote, play the trickster, nature too will grow angry with us, roughly speaking. Yet if we are wise and prudent towards nature, then nature will help us in return,” he continued.
Jumhur acknowledged that wisdom in managing nature has been eroded by fast-paced, growth-obsessed cultures. Environmental damage caused by exploitative policies has not been promptly repaired and has tended to be neglected.
“Sri Sultan told me about several breakthroughs in law enforcement against people who disobey environmental rules. I must say I was quite taken aback by the stories he shared,” said Jumhur.
“He dared, for instance, to take action against people who deliberately violate or damage the environment. So I think that gives us courage as well to stop playing around with environmental matters. I think that is a very good message and a very good example,” he added.
Having received guidance from the Sultan, Jumhur said the Ministry of Environment indeed intends to carry out a national ecological repentance.
“So culturally, in terms of awareness, we are changing. We have mismanaged nature and the environment, and therefore we must return to the right path. That, roughly, is repentance,” said Jumhur.
“What does it mean? Development is permitted, but not while causing destruction. On the contrary, the question is how to develop while restoring the environment, and there are very many examples of that,” he continued.
Jumhur admitted there is a reason for this: the government has been negligent in its oversight, which has contributed to environmental damage resulting from exploitation and policy failures.
“The simplest thing is compliance with regulations. That is the most basic, because the rules already exist. If you want to do this, you must do that. But perhaps our supervisory element has been lacking,” Jumhur explained.
“We must acknowledge that too; it is part of the repentance. So we are not blaming others, but ourselves — perhaps we have not been supervising properly, so those who deviated were left alone. This is part of the government’s introspection to put things right,” he said.
Sultan’s message: Obey the rules
Meanwhile, the Sultan added that the philosophy of Hamemayu Hayuning Bawono rests upon human wisdom. According to him, that wisdom must return to the essence that nature is God’s creation which must be protected, not destroyed.
The Sultan said the very tangible impact of environmental damage should already serve as a serious alarm for the government. What the government can do now is genuinely enforce the rules, as he has done in DIY.
“It comes down to wisdom alone. If they refuse (to obey the rules), then act on it — environmental laws exist. Just take them to court. Why? Because the regulations are already set out in the legislation,” said the Sultan.
“In DIY, no one dares to break the rules any more, because I once took someone to court and they were sentenced to eight months. No one has dared since. If they do dare, well, going to prison is their own affair,” he concluded.