JAKARTA – The Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) voiced its support for the government’s policy to discipline oil palm plantations based on prevailing regulations, saying that it should be implemented by paying special attention to legal history or chronology and legal certainty.
GAPKI Chairman Eddy Martono said that all of palm oil industry players support the law enforcement in the palm oil sector currently undertaken by the palm oil task force (Satgas Sawit). “This disciplining endeavor has been going on for a long time, but until now it is not yet fully completed. We support the government in pursuing such legal efforts to resolve all problems related to legal status of plantations,” Eddy said during a press conference on the 2024 Palm Oil Industry Performance Report and 2025 Outlook in Jakarta on Thursday (6/3/2025).
But Eddy emphasized the need for the Satgas Sawit to consider the history and chronology of granting land permits for opening oil palm plantations in various regions of Indonesia.
According to him, when the permits of land areas for opening the palm plantations were granted in regions, not all of them were clear in terms of spatial planning. “Considering such condition, we see that in many cases the business players are not entirely at fault because they obtained their official permits from the government,” he said.
“We will bring the chronological data of the permits that we have to our meetings with the Satgas Sawit. We hope those chronological data can be considered in the process of disciplining the palm plantations,” he said.
According to Eddy, currently there are still 230 GAPKI member companies which are facing problems of legal status of their lands because they are included in the forest areas. Of the 230 members, 126 companies have such land problems in Kalimantan.
“Most of the land cases are found in Kalimantan because this region often experiences changes in spatial planning. This is why historical factors need to be taken into account in the process of disciplining,” said Eddy.
Previously, President Prabowo Subianto held a limited meeting with a number of ministers at his private residence in Hambalang, Bogor Regency, West Java, on Friday, January 31, 2025. The meeting discussed about land management strategies, especially those related to oil palm plantations.
During the meeting, President and the ministers agreed to implement a number of policies immediately to ensure land management is in accordance with the prevailing regulations.
One of the main decisions taken during the meeting was the step to be implemented by Satgas Sawit for land use and investment arrangement.
The Task Force vowed to work in accordance with prevailing laws in order to make sure that all palm companies are in compliance with land use rules.
The government will also adjust policies for lands that have been used for oil palm plantations. This adjustment will be implemented while ensuring adherence to prevailing regulations in order to strike a balance between environmental, economic, and community welfare interests. (*) Source: KONTAN.CO.ID
