Ministry, BPS cooperate in forestry data

Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Ministry of Forestry signed on Tuesday an agreement with the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) to provide reliable data on timber production and exports for the government and public.

Under the agreement, which will last for five years, BPS will collect, compile and process data on the subjects from the field, provide it to the government and make it available to the public via a variety of information sources, including the Internet.

The reason behind the agreement is the lack of data currently available on such matters. Furthermore, there are differences in data, especially on timber exports, produced by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Forestry, Department of Customs and Excise and Bank Indonesia.

The autonomy law has also disrupted the flow of data on these matters from regions to the central government, as regional governments tend to prefer to keep it to themselves.

All this has made it difficult for the central government to formulate effective policy for the forestry sector.

"We have inaccurate, out of date and incomplete data. It is very hard for us at present to get proper data from the field because they (regional governments) rarely send it to us," said Ministry of Forestry secretary-general Wahjudi Wardojo.

He added that most data had been collected by ministry officials based on discussion with people working in the field.

"With that kind of data it is hard for the government to make important decisions for the benefit of the public, particularly with regard to illegal logging," said Wahjudi.

Under the agreement, aside from handling data on timber production and exports, BPS will also provide data analysis and statistical training for ministry officials.