KPK questions East Kalimantan governor

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned on Friday East Kalimantan Governor Suwarna Abdul Fatah in relation to the permits given in 2001 to a number of companies to clear one million hectares of forests for oil palm plantations in the province.

Suwarna told reporters after the six-hour interrogation that there was nothing wrong with the implementation of the policy as it was based on existing regulations. The permits were given to more than 25 companies, but are owned by a single holding company.

These companies were supposed to turn their allotted forest areas into plantations, but there have been allegations made by non-governmental organizations that the companies were only interested in cutting down the timber and making huge profits, as they only used around 2,000 hectares for plantations.

KPK had earlier questioned former forestry ministers Soeripto and Nurmahmudi Ismail in relation to the alleged manipulation of forest concessions. -- Antara