InfoSAWIT, BOGOR – Non-government organization – Sawit Watch criticized the government because the government decided to solve palm oil plantations in forest areas through the mechanism in Chapter 110A and 110B Undang-Undang Cipta Kerja (UUCK).

Executive Director of Sawit Watch, Achmad Surambo said the government seemed not to have other will to solve the cases except bleaching and deliver ‘mercy’.

In fact, many ‘palm oil plantation in forest region’ cases got solution in the court, for instance, the case in Register 40 in Padang Lawas, North Sumatera Province. Supreme Court sentenced that the 47 thousand hectare – areas have been sealed by the government.

Other case was, palm cooking oil. The Attorney sentenced three big corporates - Wilmar Group, Permata Hijau Group, and Musim Mas Group have been the suspect in palm cooking oil corruption. “It showed that legal approach is still relevant to take the same case in Indonesia,” he said as in the official statement to InfoSAWIT, Tuesday, (27/6/2023).

On the other hand, to improve palm oil plantation governance, the government obliges every planter both the companies, unions, and smallholders should get self - reporting on their licenses, starting from the plantation width, permits and put into Sistem Informasi Perizinan Perkebunan (SIPERBUN) since 3 July - 3 August 2023.

“What we know is that SIPERIBUN has been existing for too long but it is not optimal yet. Not many companies use it. It needs to escalate awareness for special parties namely in big scale to put data in SIPERIBUN,” he said.

Sawit Watch hoped that SIPERIBUN should not be a canal to gather data only but how it could be the place to share information, data that prioritize openness principles. It is hoped that the public could access data and information in SIPERIBUN to create public participation and control together with the civil society. (T2)