Rizky Amelia – Activists in the Sumatran province of Riau on Sunday called on the antigraft body to go after corporations that engaged in corruption in the forestry sector.
Susanto Kurniawan from the Forest Network Rescue Riau (Jikalahari) said the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) needed to be more aggressive in policing shady behavior in the sector, suggesting its efforts so far had been half-hearted. "The problem is, does the KPK genuinely intend to catch these corporations?" Susanto asked.
While much corruption in the sector involves corporate dealings with government on the issuance of timber forest exploitation permits, the activist said it was company officials rather than bureaucrats who needed to be investigated. "The ones enjoying the benefit from state losses are those corporations," Susanto said.
As an example, he cited the case of former Pelalawan district chief Tengku Azmun Jaafar, who was convicted of corruption was jailed for 11 years.
At the trial, Susanto said, evidence was presented that 15 corporations had funded the issuance of their own permits. "That is a faulty process," the activist said.
Susanto said the trial provided sufficient grounds for the prosecution of companies involved. "The Azmun case is clear. He issued 15 permits that were not proper, that violated the law. But after that was declared so, the permits continued to be valid and this, we think, is unfair law enforcement," he said.
Susanto also said that in such a case, the companies should either have their permits rescinded or should be obliged to return money to the state. In Riau alone, there are at least 17 suppliers involved in illegal logging, he said.
Emerson Yuntho from Indonesia Corruption Watch backed Jikalahari's call, saying the KPK should reinvestigate all those suspected of corruption in the forestry sector. "We recommend that the KPK conduct a reinvestigation of all sides suspected of being involved in corruption in the forestry sector," Emerson said.
He added that the KPK had already investigated and taken to court 21 cases of suspected graft in the forestry sector, but there were many others that had not reached court.
"There are at least 10 people and one corporation that are strongly suspected of involvement in corruption in the forestry sector, but they are now still mere witnesses and have not been taken to court," Emerson said.
He cited former Forestry Minister Malam Sambat Kaban, who he said was involved in a graft case linked to a radio communication system used by the ministry, as well as land conversion.
Emerson also cited the ongoing case involving Riau Governor Rusli Zainal in the issuance of timber forest product exploitation permits (IUPHHK-HT) for 15 companies.
He said the former head of the Riau forestry office, Syuhada Tasman, had in January said at the Anti-Corruption Court that Rusli had approved six annual working plans for IUPHHK-HT.
Emerson said that in the case, four members of the House of Representatives had received money from a land conversion project involving 7,300 hectares of protected forest on Riau's Bintan Island.
The lawmakers, he said, received between Rp 5 million and Rp 50 million ($550 and $5,500) from another lawmaker who acted as a go-between with the company that illegally developed the protected forest.
Emerson said the corporations involved in the corruption in the forestry sector should not only be pursued under the anti-corruption law, but also the law on money laundering.
December data from a national government-appointed task force said corruption in the forestry sector in Riau had cost the state Rp 73 trillion.