JAKARTA - Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the Gerindra faction as well as the Kapoksi Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Muhammad Rahul, fully supports the Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryyawan's decisive steps in saving Tesso Nilo National Park (TNTN) from illegal additions and illegal control of land.
Through the Forest Area Handling Task Force (PKH Task Force), 81,793 hectares of the TNTN area have been successfully brought under control since June 10, 2025. This control targets areas that have been occupied for years without permission, including in Toro Jaya Hamlet and Lubuk Kembang Bunga, Pelalawan Regency.
"We at Commission III of the DPR RI appreciate the firmness of the Riau Police Chief in maintaining legal authority and environmental sustainability. But we also remind that this process must be carried out in a transparent, humane manner, and in favor of social justice," said Rahul, Sunday, June 22.
According to him, the statement made by the Riau Police Chief during a public audience with residents became a strong symbol of law enforcement based on empathy. It is known that the statement was 'I represent elephants, can I ask for justice for them?'
For Rahul, this is not just a rhetoric statement, but a moral invitation so that the state is present to defend the rights of living things that do not speak up. TNTN is the habitat of the Sumatran elephant which is increasingly threatened by illegal expansion of oil palm plantations and massive additions.
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The Riau Police Chief also initiated an approach that touched local cultural roots by holding a Malay Cultural Festival at Mr. Kadi's Shelter House. This event is filled with reading poetry, pantun, and traditional art to voice the importance of forest conservation.
"Saving the environment is not enough with power. It must be voiced through culture, conscience, and education," said the Gerindra politician.
In addition, Rahul also encouraged control not to be selective. Including 574 hectares of palm oil which is said to be controlled by certain individuals, as voiced by community groups and legal practitioners.
"We want the law to be enforced completely. There should be no tolerance for the land mafia and the rulers of illegal land in conservation areas," he said.
Regarding residents affected by control, Rahul asked the local government and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to prepare a fair and civilized relocation mechanism. Residents must be given a decent living solution, not just expelled.
"We will oversee this process so as not to create horizontal conflicts, but to become a momentum to improve the management of forest areas nationally," he said.
He ensured that the Gerindra faction in Commission III of the DPR RI was ready to supervise and ensure law enforcement in TNTN was based on the constitution, environmental protection, and people's welfare.
The rescue of Tesso Nilo is not just a matter of forests and elephants. It's a matter of how the country comes with authority and humanity. We in the Gerindra faction stand in line to support this move, from the field to parliament," Rahul said.
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