Sarwono warns against collusion in green drive
Sarwono warns against collusion in green drive
JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Environment Sarwono
Kusumaatmadja senses a rat in the green campaign: Collusion
between government officials and technological consultants.
The alleged collusion has caused scores of factories in
Central Java and Yogyakarta to choose the wrong waste water
treatment technologies, he said yesterday.
Armed with documents signed by relevant officials, consultants
visit companies offering waste treatment technologies they claim
are recommended by the government, he said.
Many company managers are lured not only because of the
officials' recommendations but also the cheap price the
consultants quote.
"That ends up in the wrong choice of technology. Now the
companies are busy putting things right," he said.
Sarwono was addressing managers and reporters in a discussion
on business environmental ratings related to the Clean River
campaign. The discussion was held by the Indonesian Journalist
Association and the Dr. Sutomo Press Institute.
He alleged that some officials who "don't know anything about
technology" are actively promoting a product from a certain
consulting firm.
"Company managements must learn to be responsible for their
own decisions," he said. "We only provide information on
environmental consultants. We let managers decide for
themselves."
The Ministry's Environmental Impact Management Agency has made
it clear that managers must check out the credibility of
consultants before making any transaction, he added.
The experience, Sarwono said, should serve a lesson for
company managers to stop waiting for "guidance and instructions"
from government officials.
This habit, he said, causes them to follow the lead of any
official with a high rank but no knowledge.
Sarwono said internalizing environmental factors in the
production planning is the best attitude, instead of blindly
following officials.
Six managers attending yesterday's discussion announced the
establishment of the "Green Nusantara Industrial Club." They had
all been granted the green category among 187 firms evaluated for
their business performance environmental rating in June.
They said the club wants to show the public that the business
performance rating can be done voluntarily by entrepreneurs who
understand the importance of environmental protection.
The winning companies include the Tangerang-based PT Indah
Kiat Pulp and Paper, the Bandung-based arms manufacturer PT
Pindad and Tangerang's Tifico textile company.
The others are PT Cheil Samsung Astra, which produces
monosodium glutamate in East Java, and two other textile
producers, PT Unitex and PT Kumafiber.
Nabiel Makarim, the deputy of the Ministry's Environmental
Impact Management Agency, reminded the managers to account for
the interest of local people.
"Managers should not only guard their shareholders' interests,
but they should also heed the stake holders (of their
production)," Nabiel said. (anr)