Wain Balikpapan River Protected Forest Opened for Oil Palm, Kemenhut Names 2 Suspects

Officers secure the excavator used by the suspect to open a forest area for oil palm plantations in the Wain River Protected Forest in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, Wednesday (17/12/2025) ANTARA/HO-Kemenhut

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) has named two suspects who are suspected of opening the Wain River Protected Forest area in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, for plantation activities.

Head of the Forestry Law Enforcement Agency for Kalimantan Region, Leonardo Gultom, said the two suspects, with initials RMA as the person in charge of the activity and H as the field supervisor.

"Synergy and commitment together with the East Kalimantan Provincial Government through the Forestry Service are very important and are the key to the success of this operation. We will investigate and uncover other actors and perpetrators involved in this illegal activity," said Leonardo in a statement confirmed from Jakarta, Antara, Tuesday, December 23.

Leonardo explained that the determination of RMA and H as suspects was a follow-up to the joint operation of the Kalimantan Regional Forestry Law Enforcement Agency together with the East Kalimantan Forestry Service and the Sungai Wain Protected Forest Management Unit (KPHL).

During the operation, officers arrested four people who were opening land inside the Wain River Protected Forest for oil palm plantations.

In addition, the joint team also secured two units of heavy equipment, namely excavators, which were used to open the protected forest area. The heavy equipment was secured on Wednesday, December 17 at the scene.

For further legal proceedings, the handling of the case was handed over to the Regional Forestry Gakkum Office of Kalimantan. Investigators have also examined two other people with initials S and T as witnesses, who are known to have played the role of excavator operators.

Meanwhile, the Director General of Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, emphasized that his party would continue to synergize with the local government in enforcing forestry laws.

"In order to maintain the integrity of protected forest areas, the Directorate General of Forestry Gakkum will synergize with the provincial government to take firm action, both individuals and corporations, who carry out illegal activities. This is a form of government commitment in maintaining the sovereignty of protected forest areas in Indonesia," said Dwi.