New forestry bill needs 'revision'
New forestry bill needs 'revision'
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives said on Tuesday the
government-sponsored forestry bill had to be revised to give
local administrations more power in managing the country's
forests.
Speaking during the initial deliberation of the bill, the
House's four factions -- the ruling Golkar Party, the United
Development Party (PPP), the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
and the Indonesian Military -- said the bill was unclear about
the central government and provincial administrations' roles in
managing the forests.
They said the bill should therefore be revised to provide
clear-cut roles for the central government and local
administrations in the management of forests.
They said in its present form, the bill was like a blank check
which could be filled in anyway the government wished.
"This bill indicates the central government is still half-
hearted in awarding local administrations greater autonomy in
forest management," Ignatius Mulyono, the spokesman for the
military faction, said during the general debate on the bill.
He said chapter 7 of the bill did not provide specific
provisions for the decentralization of issuing forestry licenses.
The chapter only states the central government will delegate the
administration of "several aspects of forest management to local
administrations".
"The provisions are so general and vague that the real virtue
of the legislation will finally depend on the central
government," S. Massardy Kaphat of the PDI faction said.
Erham Amin of the Golkar faction said the implementation of
the bill should comply with intergovernmental fiscal balance to
ensure local administrations and the people benefit from the
natural wealth in their areas.
The unfair distribution of revenue has led to separatist
rumblings in some natural-resource rich provinces. Separatist
activity in these provinces has dramatically increased since the
ousting of president Soeharto last May.
People have also become increasingly angry by what they see as
timber companies' greed for forest resources and disregard for
the welfare of locals.
The four House factions also urged the government to clearly
outline the rights of locals living near forest concessions to
ensure these rights were recognized.
"Section eight of the bill specifically recognizes the
existence of local tribes and their rights in managing the
forest. But their existence will be recognized by the say-so of
local administrations. We feel this will encourage injustice,"
Masrur Javas of PPP said.
The four factions also said the penalties imposed on parties
charged with damaging forests and causing losses to local people
were too lenient to serve as a real deterrent.
The bill stipulates any parties found guilty of damaging
forests and involvement in the illegal timber trade face a
maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to Rp 1
billion.
"All parties damaging forest resources should be given harsh
punishments," Masrur said.
Ignatius said the bill should also include criminal sanctions
for parties who started forest fires.
The submission of the bill to the House on July 19 was greeted
by protest and criticism from former ministers, analysts and
environmentalists. Critics urged the House to delay deliberations
on the bill, saying their tight schedules would cause legislators
to overlook flaws in the bill.
Legislator Umbu Mehang Kunda, who chairs House Commission III
for agriculture, forestry and plantations, transmigration and
food affairs, said he was optimistic the bill could be passed
into law before the end of the current legislative term in late
August.
"I think we can finish the debate before the end of our term.
In the next meeting we will form a special team to deliberate the
bill. The team will work during the recess to ensure the bill can
be passed before the end of term." (gis)