KPK questions East Kalimantan governor

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