Plans to import discarded Singaporean clay questioned
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)