Mahfud MD Responds To The Rebuttal Of The Minister Of Environment And Forestry Regarding Deforestation Data: Not Wrong But Different Ways To Read

JAKARTA - Candidate for vice president number 3 Mahfud MD said the difference in deforestation data he submitted with data submitted by the Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya was how to read the data.

According to Mahfud, the data he submitted and what Siti Nurbaya conveyed were both true, but what Siti Nurbaya conveyed was net deforestation data.

"It's true, it's not a mistake, the difference in reading the data, what Mrs. Siti Nurbaya said is net deforestation. The data at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and BPS, that's what was there. Meanwhile, the data I read is data from Global Forest Watch, the world," Mahfud said in Jakarta as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, January 23.

Mahfud explained that the Global Forest Watch will take pictures of the loss or cover of the forest at a certain time. Meanwhile, net deforestation is a gross deforestation minus reforestation, so the rest is as the Minister of Environment and Forestry said.

In fact, Mahfud reminded that what was damaged previously had not been corrected and was still damaged due to deforestation and data from the Minister of Environment and Forestry reduced it by refurbishment. Not only at the LHK, how to calculate like that is also in BPS.

"And this has actually been written before, how to calculate like this by Prof. Hariadi Kartodiharjo on November 9, 2021 or 2022, the theory of calculating it. I use the Global Forest Watch and nothing is wrong," said Mahfud.

This means that Mahfud emphasized that the Minister of Environment and Forestry reduced the data with additional reforestation, but in other places. Meanwhile, he reminded, there are still places that have been damaged first but are not covered or not repaired.

"It's okay, it's good, it's the same as true, just want to read from where, gross or net, that's all. I use the Global Forest Watch, which takes pictures every year, this is damaged, damaged in 10 years, this is really damaged," said Mahfud.

Mahfud said, even though there was a regression in other places, it certainly did not necessarily repair what had been damaged first. Mahfud suggested that if complete data was needed related, it could go to Andi Widjajanto at TPN Ganjar-Mahfud.

"That there is a reforestation in other places, it does not repair the damaged ones. Well, complete data about this from year to year, from place to place, if you need it, it is at Mr. Andi Widjajanto at TPN, asked there is complete," said Mahfud.