Illegal logging involves 'central govt officials'

Illegal logging involves 'central govt officials'

JAKARTA (JP): The multi-billion illegal logging business in
forests across the country involves not only local officials and
businessmen but also government officials in Jakarta and members
of their networks in Singapore and Hong Kong.

This conclusion was revealed on Friday by a seven-month-old
team set by the Ministry of Forestry and Plantations to stop the
crime and probe the untouchable figures behind the seemingly-
endless smuggling of the country's timber overseas, particularly
to China, Hong Kong and Singapore.

"But we can't give out the names (of the suspects) yet because
we're worried that these people will flee," the Ministry's
Secretary General Suripto told a press conference at his office.

He also disclosed the alleged role of legislator Abdul Rasyid,
the owner of the Tanjung Lingga Group logging company in Central
Kalimantan, in the illegal business.

According to Suripto, the ministry has already sent another
team to probe the possible role of Rasyid in the business.

"We recently caught a ship that was attempting to smuggle logs
from Tanjung Balai in Karimun island, Riau. When we traced it,
the ship came from Waringin Timur, Central Kalimantan and is
owned by Rasyid," he said.

If Rasyid -- a member of the People's Consultative Assembly in
Jakarta from the Golkar party -- is proven guilty, the ministry
would ask President Abdurrahman Wahid to expel him from the
Assembly, Suripto said.

Rasyid, he added, has not only been accused of purchasing
stolen logs from Tanjung Puting National Park in Central
Kalimantan, but of also illegally obtaining logs from logging
concessions.

The Golkar legislator is also suspected of playing a
significant role in the abduction and assault of activists from
several non-governmental organizations, Suripto said..

Rasyid, however, has strongly denied the accusation and has
instead accused the two environmentalists of trespassing on his
property, he said.

On May 5 this year, activists from the local branch of the
Indonesian Students Front and a number of other NGOs in
Pontianak, West Kalimantan, foiled a smuggling attempt involving
35 containers of logs without legal documents which were on board
a vessel heading for Singapore.

The first ever success story in foiling timber smuggling in
the province was made after the activists had taken top local
officials hostage, including those from the Customs and Excise
Office, provincial forestry office, and the port administration.

Back in Jakarta, Suripto quoted the Ministry team's findings
that it has so far detained 29 ships carrying 45 containers with
some 210,272 cubic meters of timber and 1,600 trunks, without the
proper documents.

The seizures took place in Jakarta, several spots in West and
Central Java, Surabaya and Gresik in East Java, Riau, Jambi,
Lampung, West Kalimantan, Sorong in Irian Jaya, and North
Sulawesi.

The team also seized several vehicles, including 109 logs and
equipment used in illegal logging on the West Kalimantan -
Malaysia border.

"The Malaysian embassy and the ministry have agreed to
establish a fact-finding commission to fight this illegal
logging. At the end of this month, there will be a first meeting
held in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the cases," Suripto said.

According to Suripto, the most vulnerable area for smuggling
activities is on the north coast of Java, that is the route from
Banten to Jakarta, Pasuruan and Surabaya.

"The timber mostly comes from Jambi, Riau, West and East
Kalimantan, and Sorong, Irian Jaya," he said.

The Ministry of Forestry and Plantations has data showing that
illegal logging has damaged 1.6 million hectares of forest over
the last seven months and causes some Rp 1.2 billion (US$150,000)
in annual tax losses.

"Therefore, we have suggested in cabinet that the export of
logs be suspended," Suripto said. (09)