Three people quizzed about forest contracts

Three people quizzed about forest contracts

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: West Nusa Tenggara police are
questioning two civil servants and a businessman here over misuse
of forest concession contracts.

Spokesman for West Nusa Tenggara police Adj. Sr. Comr. Basri
said on Tuesday that the case began four years ago when the three
were granted a forest concession in Empang Kampaja, on the island
of Sumbawa, with each being granted 100 hectares of forest.
However, as time went by, it was revealed that they had actually
cut down over 540 hectares in total, far in excess of the total
concession area of 300 hectares.

If found guilty, the three could face a maximum 10 year in
prison, said Basri. The three people in question are Baijuri
Bolkiah, chief of the security section at the province's forestry
office, Tahir, a civil servant at the provincial agricultural
office and Bagong, a local timber baron. -- JP