Walhi urges firm action against 'ungreen' officials

Walhi urges firm action against 'ungreen' officials

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) praised
yesterday Governor Surjadi Soedirdja's statement that many
officials are easily bribed to allow development in the city's
designated green areas.

But the remarks should be followed by concrete action against
the crooked officials, the forum's coordinator for the capital's
environment, A. Salam H.S, said.

"Statements are not enough to prevent the illegal practices.
The municipality should also take immediate stern action," Salam
told The Jakarta Post.

On Tuesday, Governor Surjadi said he had learned that some of
his officials responsible for the city's green programs were
often bribed, particularly to approve projects that convert green
belt areas into commercial sites.

That's why many of the city's environmental programs, such as
the Blue Sky program, the Clean River program and the
one-million-trees campaign, were not running as well as expected,
he confessed.

According to Salam, by punishing the corrupt officials who
violated the urban spatial plans for their own benefit, the
administration would increase the credibility of its claims that
it is serious in wanting to protect the environment.

"How can you expect people to follow and obey the campaign to
clean the environment if the administration cannot stop its own
officials from collecting illegal money from the green
projects?," asked Salam.

People, he said, wanted to see the municipality acting
consistently, both in its policies and actions.

Salam said that the municipality would have to spend even more
money in the future to rejuvenate the environment once it was
damaged.

He also questioned the weak punishments given to violators of
the existing environmental rules.

Environmental law No.4/1982 states that anyone who causes
environmental damage can be fined up to Rp 100 million or
sentenced to 10 years in jail.

"In reality, the authorities rarely fine violators due to
several other considerations," Salam said.

For instance, he said, companies which had been found guilty
of causing serious pollution often escaped penalty because the
sanctions would affect the workers.

"Too many considerations when punishing delinquent companies
will strengthen their position, making companies even more
reluctant to obey the regulations because they're confident they
will never be punished," Salam said.

"The municipality should not only see economic development as
the priority, but it should protect the environment with the same
commitment too," Salam said.

Surjadi has urged senior city officials to prioritize
protecting the environment rather than accepting the money
offered by businesspeople.

The municipality is planning to cover 6,500 hectares of the
city's 65,000 hectares with trees by the end of 2005. (ste)