Purnomo promises to lobby Cabinet to revise Forestry Law

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro has promised that he would lobby other ministers in the cabinet to revise the controversial Forestry Law No 41, which banned the use of protected forests for open-mining activities, Suara Karya reported on Wednesday.

?We will discuss the issue in the next limited cabinet meeting with related ministers including Forestry Minsiter M. Prakoso who has promised to defend the law from any possible revision,? the ministers told reporters at the sideline of a seminar in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The minister said if the government could not amend the forestry law, which was issued late in 1999 to promote sustainable forest development, it should come with a clear decision related to the permits that were issued before the issuance of the law.

Minister of Forestry M. Prakoso made it clear on Monday that the government would not change its decision to ban open-mining activities on protected forests despite protests from some mining companies.

Speaking to reporters following a meeting with Vice President Hamzah Haz on Monday, the minister said the restriction on open-mining activities at protected forests as stated on the Law No 41, 1999 on Forestry, would be maintained.

Aditya Sumanagara, the president of state owned general mining company PT Aneka Tambang, said earlier that several mining operators had suspended mining projects worth about US$1.5 billion in eastern part of Indonesia due the banning of open-mining operation on protected forests.

Most of the banned mining projects received permits before the issuance of the controversial law. (*)