MHA Punan Batu Benaudi Bulungan Wins Kalpataru From The Minister Of Environment And Forestry

TANJUNG SELOR - Minister of Environment and Forestry (LHK) Siti Nurbaya handed over the award for Kalpataru to the Regent of Bulungan, North Kalimantan (Kaltara) Syarwani.

The 2024 Kalpataru Award is for the Environmental Rescue category carried out by the Makanan Batu Benau Indigenous Law Community (MHA).

Bulungan Regent Syarwani accompanied by the Regional Secretary (Sekda) of Bulungan Regency Risdianto and the leadership of regional apparatus and representatives of the customary community of Punan Batu Benau thanked the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and strategic partners for giving appreciation and support to MHA Punan Batu Benau Sajau.

"The existence of the Benau Extortion Society has been a special concern for the Bulungan Regency Government (Pemkab). One of them is by issuing Regional Regulation (Perda) Number 12 of 2016 and Decree (SK) on the Protection of Indigenous Legal Communities whose submissions were carried out directly by the Regent in Liang Meriam, Mount Batu Benau area, on Tuesday, June 6, 2023," said Syrwani, Friday, June 7.

"Hopefully this award can be an inspiration and become an example of other indigenous community groups in Bulungan Regency," he continued.

Syarwani emphasized that the Bulungan Regency Government does not want to just make legal rules without any real implementation.

"We don't want to just make legislation without its implementation. Today we can execute it even though it took about 8 years. We are very grateful for the appreciation of Kalpataru," he said.

With the achievement of the Kalpataru award, the regent said, it is increasingly strengthening his commitment to always protect every interest of the community, including the people of Punan Batu Benau which is a constitutional mandate. Moreover, around the residence of MHA Punan Batu Benau, it cannot be separated from the forestry concession area.

"I am worried that if the big houses that become the living space (Punan Batu Benau) get smaller. Our brothers are the people of Punan Batu, we don't encounter them more and more often, they are even further into the forest. This is local wisdom, the originality of the indigenous peoples of Punan Batu which we must respect," he added.

Syarwani admitted that the physical infrastructure for health and education services in the region is very minimal. However, the Bulungan Regional Government has carried out periodic health services including education services.

"We have also carried out periodic (scaled) health checks. Without us we have to build health facilities, including the concept of a jungle school," he said.

Syarwani said, if you look at the videos or conditions of the people of Punan Batu, it seems that they are marginalized and live in poverty in the middle of the forest. However, this is a consequence of the Punan tribe to continue to preserve the forest.

This community group must exist and this community has an identity that must be protected.

"Even so far the Bulungan Regional Government has not been able to enter the Benau Batu Indigenous Forest area without the permission of the local indigenous people. I am committed to guarding, with a note that do not impose the standard of living properly, we must become a standard of living like the people of Punan Batu Benau. They have their own measure of happiness," he concluded.