InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA — The Forest Area Control Task Force (Satgas PKH) has reported collecting administrative fines totaling Rp38.6 trillion from 71 palm oil and mining companies operating illegally within forest areas. As of December 8, 2025, enforcement actions have covered a total area of 3,771,467.31 hectares.
Of that total, 1,504,625.21 hectares have been transferred to state-owned enterprise PT Agrinas Palma Nusantara. However, the move has drawn sharp criticism from the Center for Natural Resources Law Studies and Advocacy (PUSTAKA ALAM).
PUSTAKA ALAM argued that handing over land resulting from enforcement actions to PT Agrinas Palma Nusantara has instead created new legal and environmental problems. The organization noted that the company allegedly lacks mandatory permits, including land-use approval (KKPR/location permit), plantation business license (IUP), environmental approval and AMDAL, forest release permits, and land-use rights (HGU).
PUSTAKA ALAM Director Muhamad Zainal Arifin questioned the direction and purpose of the forest area enforcement program. “There is no legal basis for the state to hand over millions of hectares of land to an entity with no permits whatsoever and allow it to operate immediately. The Task Force’s actions are creating new disorder by facilitating illegal plantation practices,” he said in a statement received by InfoSAWIT on Saturday (December 13, 2025).
Zainal warned that the absence of environmental permits and AMDAL poses serious ecological risks. Without proper risk analysis, surrounding communities and ecosystems face threats of flooding, landslides, and forest fires.
“Without AMDAL, there are no mitigation instruments and no certainty of protection. The state must not wait for a disaster to happen before acting,” he said.
PUSTAKA ALAM has urged the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Forestry to immediately seal all areas and operations of PT Agrinas Palma Nusantara and its partners until all licensing requirements are fulfilled. Law enforcement, the group stressed, must be consistent and non-discriminatory.
Task Force’s Authority to Collect Fines Questioned
Beyond land transfers, PUSTAKA ALAM also questioned the authority of Satgas PKH to collect administrative fines. Under Article 35 paragraph (1) of Government Regulation No. 45 of 2025 on Administrative Sanctions Procedures, the authority to impose and collect fines lies with the Minister of Forestry—not the Task Force.
Criticism was also directed at Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Decree No. 391.K/MB.01/MEM.B/2025, which sets administrative fine tariffs for mining commodities in forest areas and assigns collection authority to Satgas PKH, recording the revenue as non-tax state revenue (PNBP) under the ESDM sector.
“This is confusing and ironic. The violations occur in forest areas, yet the revenue is recorded under the energy and mining sector. Government Regulation 45/2025 clearly mandates that this is the authority of the Minister of Forestry and should be forestry PNBP for ecosystem restoration,” Zainal asserted.
PUSTAKA ALAM called on the government to comprehensively evaluate the authority of Satgas PKH and the ESDM decree, urging that sanction authority be returned to the Ministry of Forestry to prevent maladministration and ensure forest enforcement truly supports ecological recovery and legal certainty. (T2)
