Tifa Asrianti, Jakarta – "Non-procedural" forest use in three provinces of Kalimantan has cost the state Rp 311.4 trillion (US$36.38 billion) in losses, according to a government report.
According to the report, which was released by the Judicial Mafia Taskforce and the Forestry Ministry, regents and mayors in East, West and Central Kalimantan were involved in "non-procedural forest use" for plantations and mining, including violating spatial planning agreements and failing to grant needed licenses.
In East Kalimantan, state losses were estimated to reach Rp 31.5 trillion and involved 86 plantation companies responsible for 720,830 hectares of forest and 223 mining companies responsible for 774,520 hectares, according to the report.
West Kalimantan suffered Rp 121.4 trillion in state losses allegedly caused by 169 plantation companies responsible for 2.14 million hectares and 384 mining companies covering 3.6 million hectares.
While in Central Kalimantan, the report said that 282 plantation companies responsible for 3.9 million hectares and 629 mining companies responsible for 3.5 million hectares allegedly caused state losses of Rp 158.5 trillion.
The estimates were based on an assumption that one forest hectare might yield 100 cubic meters of logs valued at Rp 60,000 per cubic meter and a reforestation fund of US$16 per cubic meter.
The ministry and the taskforce said they would ask the Supreme Audit Agency to develop a more precise method to calculate alleged state losses from non-procedural forest usage.
The report recommended criminal investigation of companies and local administrations involved in 483 alleged mining permit violations involving 2.9 million hectares in Central Kalimantan.
The taskforce said nine companies operating in protected forests should be a priority for criminal investigation.
The report also found 225 cases of alleged plantation permit violations connected to forested areas, recommending that law enforcement authorities probe 54 cases where companies operated without permits on 623,000 hectares in 10 regencies.
The taskforce and the ministry vowed to cooperate with the National Police, Attorney General's Office and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to investigate the allegations. Several cases have already been forwarded to the KPK including that of the Bukit Harapan cooperative, the Kutai national park development project and the case of PT Multi Tambangjaya Utama and the construction of fish ponds in protected forests in Kuburaya regency.
"We will replicate the law enforcement approach in Central Kalimantan to provinces across Indonesia," taskforce chairman Mas Achmad Santosa said in a press release made available to The Jakarta Post.
The taskforce recommended that the central government and local administrations create an integrated permit system, establish a list of all forest area permits and monitor forest use.
The taskforce and the Forestry Ministry agreed that no more permits should be issued in Central Kalimantan until the process of forest area declaration and law enforcement integration was complete.
The ministry and the taskforce have scheduled similar reviews for Riau, South Kalimantan, West Java, Southeast Sulawesi and Gorontalo.
Berry Furqon, executive director of the Indonesia Environmental Forum (Walhi), said he appreciated the government's plan.
"Whenever the taskforce finds non-procedural forest use, it means there is systematic corruption," he said.