InfoSAWIT, ACEH — The central government has taken firm action to reform natural resource and forestry governance in Sumatra following a rise in the frequency of natural disasters in recent months. Several large-scale business licenses have been officially revoked after being deemed environmentally damaging and contributory to worsening hydrometeorological disasters.
Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno stressed that the policy was the result of a comprehensive evaluation of long-standing unsustainable land-use practices, particularly in disaster-prone areas.
“The central government, through the Minister of Forestry, has revoked large-scale land-use permits, including millions of hectares of oil palm plantation licenses and forest product utilization permits,” Pratikno said in an official statement on Friday (26/12/2025).
He explained that the revocations were not carried out hastily. The government first conducted in-depth assessments of ecological impacts, business governance, and the contribution of these activities to environmental degradation. The evaluations found that some permits had weakened environmental carrying capacity, thereby increasing the risk of floods and landslides.
This policy forms part of a broader effort to restructure forest and land management to be more sustainable and oriented toward public safety. The government emphasized that natural resource utilization must not solely pursue economic profit, but must also align with ecosystem protection and disaster mitigation.
Beyond forestry and plantation sectors, the government has also taken action against mining activities considered high-risk to environmental sustainability. Pratikno revealed that the Ministry of Environment has sealed several large mining companies.
“A total of five mining companies have been sealed due to their potential to cause environmental damage,” he said, as quoted by InfoSAWIT from Disway.
This enforcement action is described as a strong signal that the government will no longer tolerate business practices that disregard environmental protection and public safety. The state, he stressed, is present to ensure that economic activities do not leave long-term ecological harm.
The license revocation policy is also aligned with directives from President Prabowo Subianto in post-disaster response efforts. The President has emphasized that recovery should serve as a momentum for comprehensive reform, not merely a return to previous conditions.
“We are not only restoring conditions to what they were before, but ensuring that going forward they will be better,” Pratikno said, quoting the President’s directive. (T2)
