JAKARTA – Cases of oil palm thefts have been shooting up recently, triggering a fear among stakeholders that the thefts will disturb regional economies and potentially cause social concerns and conflicts.
Public figures and academicians in Central Kalimantan (Kalteng) province, where the thefts are particularly rising during the last few months, have asked the regional governments to take swift actions to tackle the problems of thefts of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) in Kotawaringin Timur (Kotim) regency, Kotawaringin Barat (Kobar) regency, and Seruyan regency. If the theft cases are not tackled quickly then they will threaten the regional economy of Kalteng and create unconducive condition for investments.
“The regional government should understand that the FFB thefts are threatening the regional economy. There have been many reports I’ve received regarding the cases,” Teras Narang, a member of the regional representative council (DPD) who represents Kalteng province, said in a press statement on Saturday (9/12/2023).
According to Teras Narang, the palm thefts were perpetrated in an organized manner, as there are fences who will purchase the stolen goods. Besides, the thefts were conducted massively by involving many perpetrators. They did not only steal from oil palm plantations owned by companies but also owned by smallholders.
“I’m concerned that the thefts will cause very big impacts to the economy and investment condition in Kalteng province. The provincial government (Pemda) and law enforcement officers should quickly take all necessary steps to tackle and prevent the criminal cases,” said Teras Narang, who is the governor of Kalteng during the period 2005-2015.
He said that the law enforcement officers should also investigate the cases to find out their network and cause of the crime, including those who acted as fences of the stolen goods.
”It’s impossible such theft was committed without the involvement of fences. So, the fences should be also arrested,” said Teras Narang.
Palangka Raya Christian University’s Lecturer Rawing Rambang concurred with Teras Narang, saying that the law enforcement officers should quickly take legal actions against all of the perpetrators in the province.
”As a native of Kalteng, I’m ashamed of the theft cases. Previously, there is no such case. Only this year that we see the cases spiking,” he said, adding that if the Pemda is late in taking actions that the thefts will be snowballing in the province and into other provinces.
Rawing said that all stakeholders should meet to jointly discuss about the theft issue. “All stakeholders, local governments, law enforcement officers, companies and the general public should discuss it to find a solution,” he said.
In Seruyan regency, Acting Regent of Seruyan, Djainuddin Noor had issued a circular letter no. 500/2110/EK. SDA/XI/2023, threatening fences who purchase the stolen palm fruits. He asked all heads of districts and villages to report any theft case to Pemda Seruyan and law enforcement officers. ”We ask all law enforcement officers to take decisive actions against all perpetrators based on prevailing laws,” he said.
Despite being united on taking necessary legal actions against the perpetrators, the stakeholders are divided on the causes of the thefts. Teras Narang opined that the theft cases were mainly caused by poverty among the local people. “The problem of poverty has caused the thefts of palm fruits,” he said.
He urged the oil palm companies to help the local governments in improving the public welfare of local people around their plantations. ”I suggest that companies should approach the people, especially those living around the plantations to set up collaborations to increase their public welfare. If they’re prosperous, they won’t involve in the thefts,” said Teras Narang.
Besides companies, apparently smallholders have been also worried over the theft cases, which had inflicted a financial loss of hundreds of millions for many of them. “My plantation in Kotawaringin Timur has suffered from the palm fruit thefts for almost every month. The perpetrators have not only stolen the palm fruits, but they also damaged the palm trees as they also took the unripe fruits. We suffered a financial loss of hundreds of million rupiah every month. Such cases have been particularly rampant during the last three months,” JMT Pandiangan, an oil palm smallholder, who has plantations in Palantaran village of Cempaga Hulu district in Kotawaringin Timur regency of Kalteng province, said on Saturday (2/12).
Afner Juliwarno, the head of NGO Lira Seruyan Office, said that the thefts are perpetrated by thousands of people in the province.
“Thousands of them and they committed their crimes massively during the day. Not only palm fruits owned by companies, but also fruits owned by smallholders,” he said recently.
According to him, the police officers have been several times arrested the perpetrators. But later the police released them as requested by companies due to intimidating pressures from the perpetrators’ friends. “Most of the perpetrators come from outside district or Seruyan regency. They are not Dayak people,” he said.
He said that the perpetrators committed their crimes not because of poverty but because being driven by their desire to consume drugs. “I’m sure that they are not driven by economic interest, but their drugs consumption. So, the police should also take actions against the drugs dealers in the region,” he said.
The regional Police commander (Kapolres) in Kotawaringin Timur (Kotim) AKBP Sarpani said that they have taken a number of steps to tackle the criminal cases, which include taking legal actions against perpetrators and pursuing dialogs with all stakeholders.
“We’ve increased security in areas prone to the thefts and intensified patrols in the areas. We’ve also talked with the local people, especially local public figures, with a view to discourage the public from committing the crimes,” the Kapolres said.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) Chairman Eddy Martono said that GAPKI has issued a circular letter, which asked all of palm oil mills not to purchase the stolen palm fruits. “Purchasing the stolen palm fruits will not only implicate the buyers in the criminal acts, but it will also further push up the theft cases,” he said.
In the circular letter, which is signed by GAPKI Chairman Eddy Martono and GAPKI Secretary General M. Hadi Sugeng, oil palm companies are urged to implement their obligation of providing 20% plantations areas under the smallholders’ plantation development facility (FPKM) scheme as stipulated by the agriculture minister regulation No.18/2021 on the FPKM for people around the companies’ plantations.
“Companies which haven’t yet realized the FPKM, should realize it soon,” Eddy Martono said. (This article is summarized from many news articles reported by local media)
