PKB Politician Regrets The Minister Of Forestry Of The King Of July 'Play Domino' Together With Suspects Of Illegal Logging

JAKARTA - Member of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Daniel Johan, regretted the attitude of the Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni who was caught posing with a person who had a case in the case of illegal logging, Azis Wellang. In the circulating photo, the Minister of Forestry Raja of July is playing domino with Azis Wellang and KP2MI Minister Abdul Kadir Karding.

According to Daniel, this action should not be taken by public officials, especially in conditions and situations that are not conducive lately.

"As public officials and leaders in the forestry sector, the attitude of the Minister must reflect the integrity and commitment to law enforcement, especially in the issue of illegal logging which is very detrimental to the state and society," said Daniel in Jakarta, Monday, September 8.

"The photo with the person being investigated in the case clearly injures public trust," continued the politician from the National Awakening Party (PKB).

Daniel then reminded public officials to maintain attitudes and behavior in order to maintain the good name of the institution and public trust.

"Public trust is very important, and we must strive not to be eroded by actions that have the potential to cause controversy," said the legislator from the West Kalimantan I electoral district.

Previously, a photo circulated of the Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni with KP2MI Minister Abdul Kadir Karding sitting casually playing domino with Azis Wellang, a suspect in a illegal logging case by the Directorate General of Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in November 2024.

However, the investigation into Azis Wellang was stopped on February 14, 2025, based on the pretrial decision of the Central Jakarta District Court.

For the record, Azis Wellang is not a new name in the environment. In November 2024, the Directorate General of Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) has named Azis as a suspect in the illegal logging case.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni has clarified that at that time he received an invitation from the Minister of Protection for Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI) Abdul Kadir Karding to come to the South Sulawesi Family Harmony Post (KKSS). Currently, Karding serves as secretary general.

"I discussed with Minister Karding alone in the back room for more than 2 hours. There was no theme of our discussion regarding the illegal logging case at all. Approaching 24.00 I said goodbye to him," said Raja Juli in his statement, Sunday, September 7.

When he was about to go home, Raja Juli passed through the living room with quite a lot of people. Some of them were playing dominoes. King Juli and Karding were invited to participate in the game.

"After 2 rounds, I said goodbye to Minister Karding and many people in the living room," said Raja Juli.

Raja Juli claimed that while playing dominoes, he claimed he did not know the other two players. There was also no talk about any cases at the time.

"After this news circulated, I just found out that one of the people who took part in the game was Azis Wellang, who was reported as a wild logging player," he said.