JAKARTA – Maritime and Investment Coordinating Minister (Menko Marves) Luhut Pandjaitan said that the government will take firm action against business players who ignore all efforts being pursued to improve the palm oil governance in Indonesia.
“Today, Satgas (Palm Oil Task Force established by the government to improve palm oil governance) has urged all business players to implement a self-reporting of their condition of plantation areas which are proven with their business licenses. In the near future, Satgas will start the process of self-reporting from companies, cooperatives, and the farmers,” Luhut said during the press conference on the self-reporting by business players under the program of improving the palm oil industry governance.
Luhut said that the Satgas has owned satellite images and used drone, which allows them to conduct random checking of the reports given to them. “Companies are encouraged to file their reports through the website SIPERIMBUN since 3 July until 3 August 2023. Regarding reports by cooperatives and farmers will be informed later. Currently, Satgas is also developing a dashboard system to resolve the problems of legal status of oil palm plantations in forest areas. We’ll be able to conduct live tracking of cases of oil palm plantations in forest areas,” he said.
Luhut further said that Satgas will also simultaneously conduct socialization on the mechanism of self-reporting for the oil palm growers. The socialization, both virtual and offline ones, will be conducted during the period of 3 July – 3 August 2023 in provinces of Riau, Central Kalimantan, and Jakarta.
“We’ll summon those we consider filing incorrect or suspicious data. That way we can have complete data and all of the business players will pay their taxes properly,” said Menko Luhut.
Luhut pointed out that based on satellite images in 2021, Indonesia’s total acreage of oil palm plantations reaches 16.8 million hectares, of which 3.3 million hectares are located in forest areas.
“We hope it can be resolved through the mechanism of article 110A and 110B of UUCK (omnibus law on job creation). Based on audit results, many companies were found not yet having various licenses, such as licenses of location, plantation business, and land use rights. Looking forward, Satgas will oblige all growers to have all of the necessary licenses,” he said.
According to him, Satgas will speed up its efforts of solving the legal problems of oil palm plantations located in forest areas, so that all of the problems can be resolved before 02 November 2023. “Growers shouldn’t be worried to report their plantations, as we’ll later take legal actions. There will be penalties, but I don’t think that will be burdensome for them,” he said.
Meanwhile, Satgas Executive Chairman Suahasil Nazara, who is also Deputy Minister of Finance, said that the SIPERIMBUN system will record all correct data from every palm oil company.
“We prepare the system through the mechanism of self reporting, so that all data will be integrated in one location. This is a collaboration of all related government institutions,” said Suahasil.
He said that initially the self-reporting will be implemented by the palm oil companies and later it will be followed up by cooperatives and the farmers. (*)
Source: Bisnis.com
