Plans to import discarded Singaporean clay questioned

JAKARTA (JP): It's a mangrove growing medium, officials have claimed, and it will earn the country Rp 100.8 billion in foreign exchange.

But the government's decision to import 15 million cubic meter of "waste" was tantamount to selling the nation's dignity, Emmy Hafild of the Indonesian Forum of Environment (Walhi) said here on Sunday.

The leading environmentalist was responding to an Antara report about the planned import.

"To rehabilitate the coastal woodland in the bay of Pelambung in Karimum Besar Island, Riau, Indonesia will import 15 million cubic meters of soil dug out of the Singapore's Mass Rapid Transport to be used as mangrove growing medium," it said.

The news agency quoted Aldy Maljoto, director of the PT Media Kertaraharja, as saying the import was facilitated by an agreement between the Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedal) and the Singapore's Ministry of Environment. The deal will come into effect early next year, Aldy said.

Media Kertaraharja is a company 30 percent owned by a foundation linked to the office of the Coordinating Minister of Political Affairs and Security.

Aldy said Singapore has to export the soil to Indonesia because the island-state could not use it as coastal reclamation medium.

It had previously been widely reported that Singapore imported sand from Indonesia to reclaim its coast line.

Environmentalists had said the sand export, legal or otherwise, had led to environmental degradation and exhausted many Riau islands.

Aldy said the soil would be used to rehabilitate 500 hectares of degraded coast line in the bay of Pelambung.

The soil medium offered, he said, was clay of the "sub-soil" dug out of from the Singapore's MRT project.

He said such soil was relatively more expensive if procured domestically.

While importing it would not only be free of charge, the Singaporean government would also pay Indonesia S$4 for each cubic meter of the soil it imported, Aldy said.

He said the material was not toxic waste.

If it was later found to be toxic, by the country's No. 23/1997 environmental law, Singapore would have to re-import it and Bapedal is entitled to revoke the permit it gave to the rehabilitation project, Aldy explained.

Aldy said the company has spent Rp 20 billion and four years in preparing for the project. If the project commences, it will absorb 2,034 workers, he said.

However, the importation of the "waste" -- as many had claimed it to be -- from Singapore has been controversial from the start.

Reports carried by leading daily Kompas last September said the Ministry of Trade and Industry had issued an import permit since the Minister of Environment Panangian Siregar has recommended it as "nontoxic" material.

Emmy fiercely criticized the deal. She lashed out at Panangian as "concerned only about the business side" of the deal.

"Apart from the question of whether or not it is toxic, or that it was previously said to be marine clay and now it's soil dug out from the MRT's project... the government has been unwise," Emmy insisted.

Besides, Riau people has rejected the material importation idea, she added. "The deal tarnishes the nation's pride," she said.

"It's mindless, as there's no reason at all for us to be paid to import the material while exporting good material of ours like sand to Singapore," Emmy said.

"If this Cabinet wants to be a truly reformed Cabinet, it must quickly call off the plan," she said.

In early September, the Singaporean government has denied that it had ever permitted Singaporean companies to export marine clay.

Panangian and officials in Bapedal could not be contacted for comment on Sunday. (aan)