Farhan Outraged Over Felling of 10 Trees in Bandung, Threatens Criminal Charges Against Padel Court Owner
The Mayor of Bandung, M. Farhan, expressed intense anger during a sudden inspection when he discovered that shade trees at the intersection of Jalan LLRE Martadinata (Riau) and Jalan Cihapit appeared to have been cut down. It is suspected that the bold act of felling the trees was carried out to enhance the aesthetics of a padel court business and a cafe, which features a videotron in the area.
It is alleged that ten shade trees on the pavement at the intersection were cut down without official permits. Video footage showing Farhan’s fury during the inspection on Friday (31/7) has gone viral on social media. In a decisive move, the Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP) immediately cordoned off the site with yellow tape.
Farhan emphasised that such arbitrary actions cannot be tolerated and will be pursued through criminal law up to the provincial level. “The Governor [of West Java] has issued a moratorium. Therefore, I will raise this matter directly to the Governor so that we can pursue criminal prosecution, as this potentially constitutes a significant legal violation,” Farhan stated.
He suspects the tree felling was intentionally carried out to clear the view of the front of the padel court area, ensuring it is not obstructed by foliage. “There are 10 trees here. We are sealing the area immediately. This felling actually happened some time ago,” he added.
According to Farhan, the threat of criminal charges against the business owner is well-founded. He noted that the illegal felling violates both the tree-felling moratorium and environmental protection regulations. “We have issued a circular regarding the moratorium on tree felling. This means two regulations have been breached. This is also considered a violation of environmental regulations, so we can report this to the Ministry’s Environmental Law Enforcement (Gakkum),” he explained.
At the sealing site, Farhan could not hide his indignation at the management’s apparent disregard for urban shading laws. “I am very angry about this. This will be prosecuted criminally,” he added.
Farhan claimed that his office has received information regarding the parties behind the tree felling. He asserted that the Bandung City Government will not remain silent and suspected an air of arrogance behind the decision, suggesting the perpetrators might believe they have influential ‘backing’ to carry out such a daring act.
In addition to reporting the matter to the West Java Governor, Farhan stated he would bring the issue to the central government, specifically the Law Enforcement Directorate (Gakkum) of the Ministry of Environment. “We will pursue criminal charges first. This was done recklessly. Those responsible likely feel they have strong backing. I will bring this to the Governor and the Environmental Law Enforcement Directorate.”
According to preliminary information, the felling is believed to have occurred during the night between 1 July and the early hours of 2 July 2026. Several witnesses noted that the perpetrators were wearing uniforms, leading to suspicions that they may have posed as officials, though the identity of those responsible is still under investigation. Farhan stated that the Bandung City Government will gather all evidence, including field documentation and witness testimonies, to strengthen the legal process. He also urged the public, local authorities, and community protection officers (Linmas) to immediately report any suspicious tree-felling activities.