Coordinating Minister Mahfud Asks Regional Heads Not To Be Doubtful About Burning Forest And Land

Minister of Police Mahfud MD (Angga Nugraha/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD asked the ranks of regional heads from governors to mayors and other officials to not hesitate to take action against perpetrators of forest and land burning.

He considered that regional heads and other officials should not hesitate to punish the forest and land burners because their actions were detrimental to the local community.

"Do not hesitate to enforce the law. (Sanctions, red) administration, governors, ministers, director general, drop if he (the perpetrator, ed) has the potential to cause a fire," said Mahfud as a speaker at the 2021 National Disaster Management Coordination Meeting which was broadcast online. on YouTube BNPB, Friday, March 5.

Mahfud assessed that legal sanctions can indeed be imposed on the perpetrators of forest destruction. However, to provide a more deterrent effect, administrative sanctions should also be imposed on them.

There are examples of administrative sanctions that can be given in the form of license revocation or closure of company operations that are suspected of causing forest and land fires. If later there are parties who disagree, they are certainly welcome to challenge the decision.

"I don't accept it, let it go to court. 'You do this, we freeze the permit first. We close the business until it's cleared, right?" He said.

"So don't say, 'you know, it has been dealt with but not yet on trial.' It's different. Same is the case with us dissolving HTI first. Different. Dismissed. Don't accept submission to court. That's right, submit to court, lose to the Supreme Court, reach the Court. , "added the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK).

Moreover, said Mahfud, this sanction is in accordance with Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 3 of 2020 concerning Forest and Land Fire Management. "The president's directive is to do prevention, matching, then law," he said.

"Don't forget that the law is enforced. Don't say that it's okay to burn the forest, it's okay," he concluded.