Polluting pulp mills fight to win people's hearts

Ridwan Max Sijabat The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Rony Gustam Kalfarisi, a 19-year-old talented but poor student of the prestigious Pelita Harapan University in Jakarta, feels proud of his success in winning a scholarship to take up undergraduate studies in physics at the university, and postgraduate and doctorate studies in the United States.

"We may be the happiest people in the world. We never imagined it possible, but here we are, thanks to the Bhakti Tanoto Foundation," Rony said on behalf of four students.

Before the announcement, Rony had been planning to help his mother, Supartini, sell basic commodities at Sambu traditional market, in the North Sumatra capital of Medan.

"I will not squander this golden opportunity. We are dreaming of fighting poverty, developing a better future and contributing something significant to the nation," he said, with tears in his eyes.

Rony and the three other students -- Naek Sahata Nainggolan, Moses Marpaung and Wahyu Ramadhan -- were admitted to the school of physics at Pelita Harapan University last year, thanks to the scholarships.

Yohannes Surya, chairman of the Indonesian Physics Olympics Team, said Rony and his fellow scholarship recipients fared "beyond average". They won the mathematics and physics Olympiads in North Sumatra in 2002 and 2003.

"The four score grade point average at Pelita Harapan is between 3.6 and 3.7," Surya said. "Several prestigious universities in the United States have expressed their interest in granting them scholarships to take up postgraduate and doctorate studies there."

The foundation is funded by Sukanto Tanoto, the head of the Raja Garuda Mas Group, and owners of PT Toba Pulp Lestari (TPL) and PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP), two pulp and rayon mills in Porsea, North Sumatra, and Pelalawan, Riau that have been accused of polluting the environment.

Sukanto denied allegations the scholarships were part of attempts to win over the people, particularly those of North Sumatra and Riau.

"We established the foundation and provide scholarships as we want to express our deep concern over the low quality of human resources and expensive education in the country," he said.

The foundation has given scholarships to a number of students and lecturers at several universities in the two provinces, as well as in Java. In the coming years, scholarships will be given to 10 talented students every year, from various fields, he said.

Rony, Naek, Moses and Wahyu received Rp 300 million (US$31,578) each to finance their studies until they obtain doctorate titles. The scholarships are not binding.

TPL, formerly known as PT Inti Indorayon Utama (IIU), was involved in a dispute with locals in connection with the destruction of the environment around the factory in the 1990s.

After a year-long suspension, the factory was allowed to resume operations in 2000, with "a strong social contract" that required the pulp mill to comply with the environment law, employ local workers and carry out a social development program to empower locals.

The scholarship recipients said they weren't obliged to pay the foundation back for its assistance.

"The scholarships are not binding. We received them because we deserve it. We are nor morally obliged to defend the companies if they destruct the environment," said Moses, who graduated from Balige state senior high school in North Sumatra, which is located some 10 kilometers south of TPL's factory.