Ministry, BPS cooperate in forestry data

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"We have inaccurate, out of date and incomplete data.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.