Minister says colleagues indifferent

Minister says colleagues indifferent

JAKARTA: State Minister of the Environment Nabiel Makarim
complained on Tuesday about his colleagues' indifference in the
controversial road construction project that will cut a large
swath through a protected forest in Aceh.

Nabiel told a hearing with the House of Representatives'
commission VIII on environment that he had been seeking a
solution to the matter by consulting Minister of Regional
Settlements and Infrastructure Soenarno and Minister of Forestry
M. Prakosa as well as nongovernmental activists and the House
legislators.

"But so far there has been no response from the forestry and
regional settlements and infrastructure ministers," Nabiel said.

Nabiel said he would consult Prakosa about the appropriation
of the forest and Soenarno about the priority road projects in
war-torn Aceh.

The road project connecting eastern and western coasts of
Aceh, called Ladia Galaska, will cut through the protected forest
in Leuser, which has long served to maintain a rare and fragile
ecosystem.-- Antara