Yogi Arief Nugraha/Hendra & BI, Pekanbaru – Illegal logging activities have continued to go on in Riau forests South Sumatra. These illegal activities occurred at Air Hitam and Kembang Bunga village; regency of Telelawan, Pekanbaru, and South Sumatra has been cut down illegally by a syndicate using a pulp company's identity. It was believed that up to 12,000 hectares of forest have been illegally cut down.

According to the information gathered by Putri Kemuning, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), this illegal logging has been funded by PT Andika Mandalitama, owned by Bengkulu residence identified as Ahai. The logs then transported to a pulp company owned by PT Riau Andalan Pulp Paper (RAPP), a subsidiary company of PT Raja Garuda Mas, owned by Sukamto Tanoto who based himself at Pangkalan Kerinci village, Pekanbaru. To avoid detection, these illicit logs have been transported as a fictious woodchip.

According to Putri Kemuning report there are at least 30 trucks that have been going up and down, fully loaded with the stolen logs, every day. "The plundering have been going unnoticed due to the fact that all responsible officials have been bribed by PT RAPP," said the head of Putri Kemuning leader, Ir Tommy Simanungkalit to Detik, Thursday.

In some location, some heavy equipment could be found. The equipment include eight escavators and two bulldozers being used to cut down the trees in the area. Tommy believed that there is a plan to transform this forest plantation by PT Andika into a palm oil plantation.

Tommy has urged the department concerned to put an immediate end to these illegal activities as well as take necessary steps to reprimand PT RAPP. Meanwhile, the head of Public Relations of PT RAPP, Fachrunnas MA Jabbar was unavailable for comment regarding the accusation by Putri Kemuning.