When Harrison Ford Was Angry With Zulkifli Hasan About The Damage To The Indonesian Forest

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government has never taken forest guarding seriously. For the sake of profit, everything is legalized. The national park alone was able to be taken into an oil palm plantation. This narrative made Harrison Ford furious.

The senior Hollywood actor visited Tesso Nilo National Park, Riau. He witnessed that the national park area was badly damaged. One reason that made him curse the cause of the big problem of environmental damage in Indonesia: Zulkifli Hasan. This is not funny, Mr. Minister of Forestry," he said.

The Indonesian forest is not doing well. Large-scale investment puts Indonesian forests at risk. The government while discussing forests to investors. The forest area has finally turned into mining. Some have also become oil palm plantations.

Take for example the forest in Tesso Nilo National Park. Forests that used to have an area of 83 thousand hectares shrank to only 20 thousand hectares. The national park is threatened with the presence of many oil palm plantations. The flora and fauna ecosystem is almost threatened with extinction.

The news then reached the vicinity of Harrison Ford. The Hollywood film star prepared his time to visit Indonesia in 2013. He wants the forest damage in Indonesia to be part of his documentary, Tears of Living Dangerous.

He wanted to see for himself how severe the forest damage that occurred at Tesso Nilo was. In fact, what the film player Kapanya Jones witnessed was even more pathetic. He saw an increase in forests by cutting wood freely. The government seemed to close its eyes.

He sees the government's motto as a forest guard as a mere boast. Not to mention with the permits for oil palm plantations that continue to be opened. Ford views the behavior of the Indonesian rulers as a time bomb. An ecological disaster can occur at any time.

He also couldn't wait to meet the culprit of the severe damage to the Indonesian forest: Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas). The Minister of Forestry (Menhut) is seen as having a big responsibility related to the shrinking of Indonesian forests. He was the culprit of the many permits for exploitation of natural resources that came out.

Zulhas then received Ford at his office on September 9, 2013. As a result, a heated debate between the two was presented. Ford presented his findings regarding forest destruction. Zulhas answered as soon as possible. He considers Indonesia is indeed a country that has just learned democracy.

Indonesia needs time to be balanced in protecting the environment. Ford was furious. He cursed Zulhas when he laughed at the destruction of the forest: It's Not Funny. Ford left the room and was caught by the mass media crew present.

"It's not funny. Only 18 percent are left. We see them, there are new streets, illegal new streets, loggery, trees scattered on the ground, burned where they fell. It's very concerning, very sad, you've seen it, you promise a resolution, "said Ford.

The heated debate between Ford and Zulhas is viral everywhere. Zulhas is considered the culprit of the destruction of Indonesian forests. Zulhas' policy is considered to contain injustice. For profit, everything is lawful, especially turning most parts of the national park into oil palm plantations.

Recently Zulhas has been disturbed by criticism and criticism. He tried to clarify his meeting with Ford. He also answered the one and only thing Ford accused of. At first Ford saw an increase in free living forests at Tesso Nilo and asked the government to arrest him.

However, Zulhas revealed that catching matters is not an easy matter. Indonesia is no longer the pattern of authoritarian leadership. Can't catch just anyone. Moreover, the increase in forests at Tesso Nilo is not one or two people, but 20 thousand families.

He also revealed that those who do not agree with palm oil are only a handful, while many agree. Zulhas also alleged that Ford was not aiming to save the Indonesian forest. He came only for documentaries and ratings.

He made this assumption because Zulhas did not want an open discussion and was witnessed directly by journalists. Instead, he chose to discuss in the minister's room alone. The position of the camera is arranged in such a way. Many parts of the discussion that were not broadcast. Zulhas considers the ingredients of the Hollywood-style event to be detrimental to him.

Zulhas did not change much of the clarification. Zulhas' image is getting worse as Indonesia's forest damage continues to occur due to the sale of permits.

"Our hope is that it is too grand. We want to (interview) below in the arboretum (artificial forest at the Ministry of Forestry Complex) so that the discussion is open. Let reporters hear what he protested or was bad. That's the idea."

"But it was not approved and proposed in the lobby as well. But he didn't want to either. He wanted to be in my room and the two of them, according to the scenario. After that, he thought about journalists having an incident. He didn't want to plant (trees) and interviews. He just wanted to make a documentary. Well, the people there are kansaklek," said Zulhas as quoted on the page tempo.co, September 11, 2013.