JAKARTA - The steps taken by the Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, to strengthen the protection of elephant populations through Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 8 of 2026 have received support from the Indonesian Elephant Conservation Forum (FKGI). They consider this policy to be an important foothold so that the protection of elephant habitats becomes part of decision-making in the use of space and the granting of development permits.
"We are proud and grateful for the issuance of Inpres 8/2026 and hope that this inpres will be an important reference in decision-making related to the use of space and the granting of permits on the elephant habitat landscape. We have understood that the use of space, including in the mining sector, plantations, energy, infrastructure, and other sectors that have the potential to cause habitat fragmentation," said FKGI Chairman Doni Gunaryadi when contacted in Jakarta, Tuesday, July 14.
Doni said the issuance of the Presidential Decree opened up opportunities for the government to make elephant habitats and corridors a strategic consideration in various development sectors.
"Therefore, we need to consider the existence of elephant habitats and corridors as part of national strategic interests. This approach is needed to prevent the further fragmentation of habitats in various elephant priority landscapes," he explained.
According to Doni, the biggest challenge at this time is to ensure that the policy is actually implemented in various sectors that have the potential to affect elephant habitats.
He added that the success of the Presidential Decree was not measured by the birth of regulations, but also by the implementation of policies in the field.
"The performance of the presidential decree is not only measured by the issuance of regulations, but needs to be translated into sectoral policies, development plans, spatial planning, budgeting, implementation in the field, as well as measurable monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. We hope that this presidential decree should be an instrument for real change in elephant conservation governance, not just an administrative fulfillment of a national policy document," concluded Doni.
Previously, President Prabowo Subianto issued Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 8 of 2026 concerning the Rescue of the Population and Habitat of the Sumatran Elephant and the Kalimantan Elephant. This policy is a strategic step for the government to ensure the protection of wildlife in the midst of national development.
"Today, July 10, is Nona Seroja's birthday, happy birthday to Nona Seroja, there is good news for Nona Seroja, Bang Domang, Sumatran elephants and Kalimantan elephants, there has been a Presidential Instruction for the rescue of the Sumatran elephant population and the habitat of Sumatran and Kalimantan elephants," said Minister of Forestry (Menhut) Raja Juli Antoni when he made a video call with the elephant child named Nona Seroja at Tesso Nilo National Park, Riau.
Raja Juli explained that the Presidential Decree regulates the involvement of various sectors so that the rescue of elephant populations and habitats is protected along with ongoing development. He gave an example, if infrastructure development such as roads across the elephant's home range, then a wildlife corridor must be prepared so that the elephant's movement is not interrupted.
"If, for example, the Ministry of Public Works builds a road and it interferes with the elephant's home range, then a corridor must be made for itself. Likewise, if there is a plantation that enters the elephant's travel path, there must be a space that is vacated and even enriched into a preservation area so that elephants can still move in their habitat with enough food," said Raja Juli.
In the Presidential Decree, there are nine ministers involved in saving the elephant population and habitat. They are the Minister of Forestry, Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of ATR/BPN, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Minister of Public Works, Minister of Environment, Minister of Finance, and Minister of Investment and Industrialization/Head of BKPM. In addition, the Indonesian National Police together with the ranks of the Governor, Regent, and Mayor in the Sumatra region and North Kalimantan also participated in this instruction.
"All ministries that have received mandates in this Inpres have the obligation to guard the house of Ms. Seroja, Bang Domang, and his friends. Insyaallah later we will execute better in the field," said Raja Juli.
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