House Pushes for Restoration of 30% Forest Area Cap and Stronger Wildlife Habitat Protection
A number of members of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives are urging a revision of the Forestry Law to restore the minimum 30 per cent forest area provision previously removed through the Job Creation Law. The call was made during a harmonisation meeting on the fourth amendment to Law Number 41 of 1999 at the House’s Legislation Body on Tuesday (9/6).
Commission IV member Firman Soebagyo stated that removing the 30 per cent forest area rule has proven to cause more harm than good. Without this limit, many regions have developed spatial plans misaligned with ecological needs, leading to worsening ecosystem damage.
“We want to restore that 30 per cent area limit and remove it from the Job Creation Law, because the utility principle of removing the 30 per cent cap brings more harm than benefit. This has been proven,” Firman said.
He also pushed for the restoration of the DPR’s control function over forest land conversion as a form of legislative responsibility in safeguarding forest sustainability, along with firmer protection for protected forests and conservation areas.
On the same occasion, Commission IV member Daniel Johan highlighted the disparity in sanctions within the Forestry Law, which currently imposes heavier penalties on animal poachers than on those who destroy habitats. He considered this imbalance unjust, as habitat destruction has a far greater impact on animal population survival.
“What is currently going viral is that habitat destruction carries no sanctions. If a habitat is destroyed, thousands are lost, not just one or two. Yet it is precisely for those one or two that the penalties are high. Sometimes the victims are ordinary people who do not understand it is prohibited,” Daniel stated.
He also stressed the importance of the Forestry Law revision providing clear living space for indigenous peoples and not complicating the process of establishing indigenous community areas, in order to prevent the criminalisation of communities living in and around forest areas.