ABOVE THE LAW

Di Atas Jangkauan Hukum: Korupsi, Kolusi,

Nepotisme (KKN) dan Nasib Hutan Indonesia
Corruption, Collusion, Nepotism
and the Fate of Indonesia’s Forests

telapak
environmental investigation agency

www.eia-international.org www.telapak.org
Contents

Introduction 1 Acknowledgements
EIA and Telapak would like to thank the
many community groups, individuals and
Law of the Jungle 4 NGOs working together with EIA/
Telapak on the illegal logging issue for
their help in the compiling of this report.
EIA and Telapak would also like to
The Untouchable Tanjung Lingga 17 thank the Richard and Rhoda Goldman
Fund, Barbara Delano Foundation,
Ruben and Elisabeth Rausing Trust,
The Plight of Tanjung Puting 28 Winley Foundation, the
Multi-stakeholder Forestry Programme
(funded by DFID in collaboration with
MoFor) and other donors for their kind
Conclusions and Recommendations 35 support of their work.
Many thanks to Brian Emmerson
and all at Emmerson Press for the
printing of this report
Kesimpulan / Rekomendasi 36 (Emmerson Press tel: 01926 854400)
Designed by Clare Mellor at Full Stop
(clare.mellor@btinternet.com)
References / Referensi 37 Researched, Written and Edited by
Dave Currey, Faith Doherty, Sam
Lawson, Julian Newman, M.Yayat
Afianto, Hapsoro, Mardi Minangsari,
and Arbi Valentinus.
Opinions expressed are of EIA and
Telapak and acknowledgement of
support does not necessarily mean our
supporters hold the same views.

Front cover photo : © Dave Currey. Back cover photo : © EIA

 Introduction

Left: Orangutans are

struggling to survive.

© Dave Currey
Introduction Pengantar
Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri Presiden Indonesia Megawati Soekarnoputri
has supported her Minister of Forestry and telah mendukung Menteri Kehutanan dan
stated that “. . . we must give our forests a menyatakan bahwa “. . . kita harus memberi
chance to take a breath”. But tacit support is kesempatan kepada hutan kita untuk
not enough because no Minister alone has the bernapas”. Namun dukungan tanpa tindakan
power to fight the deep cancer destroying all tidaklah cukup, karena Menteri seorang diri
parts of Indonesia’s fragile future – corruption. tidak memiliki kekuasaan untuk memerangi
The President must personally ensure that kanker parah yang merusak seluruh sendi masa
her government acts against timber barons such depan Indonesia yang rentan, yaitu korupsi.
as Peoples’ Consultative Assembly (MPR) Presiden secara personal harus memastikan
member Abdul Rasyid whose company stands bahwa pemerintahannya mengambil tindakan
accused of being behind the destruction of terhadap cukong kayu seperti Abdul Rasyid,
Tanjung Puting National Park, transporting anggota MPR, yang perusahaannya berada
illegal logs, bribery, kidnap and violence. dibalik perusakan Taman Nasional Tanjung
Without such figures being prosecuted and Puting, pengangkutan kayu ilegal, penyuapan,
jailed for their crimes there is no hope or penculikan dan kekerasan. Bila tokoh seperti
reason for underpaid officials to refuse a bribe. dia tidak dituntut dan dipenjarakan atas
Although poverty, economic collapse, kejahatan-kejahatan yang dilakukan, maka “. . . we
provincial autonomy and many other factors tidak ada harapan atau alasan bagi petugas
contribute to forest destruction, these are not at bergaji kecil untuk menolak uang suap.
must give
the core of the problem. Forests are being Walaupun kemiskinan, kehancuran our forests
destroyed because Indonesia is one of the most ekonomi, otonomi propinsi dan banyak faktor
corrupt countries in the world and many in the lainnya berperan dalam perusakan hutan, a chance
political, business and military elite are unwilling namun semua itu bukanlah akar to take
to surrender the wealth and power that permasalahannya. Perusakan hutan terjadi
Indonesia’s natural resources have given them. karena Indonesia adalah salah satu negara yang a breath.”
If being measured as one of the most corrupt paling korup di dunia, di mana banyak elit President Megawati
countries in the world alongside Kenya and worse politik, bisnis dan militer tidak mau melepas Soekarnoputri,
than Azerbaijan were not bad enough news for kekayaan dan kekuasaan yang mereka peroleh May 2002

1
 Introduction

Tanjung Indonesia, the reaction of the United Nations dari sumber daya alam Indonesia.
special rapporteur on independence of the Jika disejajarkannya Indonesia dengan
Puting is judiciary should send honest investors scuttling to Kenya sebagai negara paling korup di dunia
Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta airport. Midway atau bahkan lebih buruk daripada Azerbaijan
struggling through his visit Dato Param Cumaraswamy said: bukanlah suatu berita buruk bagi Indonesia,
to breathe “I didn’t realize that the situation could be as bad walau sepantasnya tanggapan dari pelapor
as what I’ve seen.” khusus PBB untuk peradilan independen
at all EIA and Telapak have seen how blatantly mampu membuat investor yang jujur bergegas
dishonest some senior police officials can be, pergi melalui Bandara Soekarno-Hatta Jakarta.
and how they do not even bother to hide it. Ditengah-tengah kunjungannya, Dato Param
We’ve experienced promises from the most Cumaraswamy mengatakan: “Saya tidak
senior members of the government that illegal menyangka bahwa situasinya sampai seburuk
logging in Tanjung Puting National Park would yang saya saksikan.”
be tackled and Abdul Rasyid arrested and EIA dan Telapak telah menyaksikan betapa
prosecuted. But Rasyid still sits defiantly in the sejumlah pejabat teras kepolisian melakukan
Golkar faction of the MPR and spreads his tindak penyimpangan secara terang-terangan,
cancer throughout Central Kalimantan and dan bahkan mereka tidak ambil pusing untuk
beyond. Tanjung Puting, three years after those menutup-nutupi kebusukan itu. Sebagian besar
first promises, and accepted as a test case for pejabat tinggi pemerintahan telah berjanji dan
the government, is struggling to breathe at all. menyatakan tekad untuk menanggulangi illegal
Given the staggering failures of the logging di Taman Nasional Tanjung Puting dan
enforcement authorities, it is all the more amazing mengatakan bahwa Abdul Rasyid akan
that there has been a remarkable change in ditangkap dan dihukum. Akan tetapi hingga
attitude and talent in the Ministry of Forestry at hari ini Rasyid masih bercokol di fraksi Golkar
the higher levels under Minister Prakosa. MPR dan menyebarkan kankernya di seluruh
Minister Prakosa announced a log export ban penjuru Kalimantan Tengah, bahkan lebih luas
in October 2001 and faced with little dari itu. Tiga tahun setelah janji pertama yang
cooperation from the Police, Ministry of dianggap sebagai batu ujian bagi pemerintah,
Forestry officials teamed up with the Tanjung Puting semakin terpuruk untuk dapat
Indonesian Navy to seize illegal log shipments. terus bertahan.
Three cargo ships were seized off Dibandingkan dengan kegagalan para
Pangkalanbun, Abdul Rasyid’s Central penegak hukum yang sungguh tak terperikan
Kalimantan stronghold, together with ini, maka adanya perubahan besar pada sikap
25,000m3 of illegal logs. After many attempts dan upaya para pejabat teras Departemen
by the National Police to release the ships and Kehutanan dibawah kepemimpinan Menteri
auction the cargo, the police finally won their Prakosa menjadi suatu hal yang luar biasa.
Below: Signing of battle in July 2002. There have been no Pada bulan Oktober 2001, Prakosa
UK-Indonesia MOU prosecutions despite ample evidence of a mengumumkan larangan ekspor kayu bulat.
on illegal logging in company linked to Abdul Rasyid’s Tanjung Kebijakan ini hanya mendapat sedikit
London, April 2002. Lingga Group being involved in the loading of dukungan dari pihak Kepolisian. Pihak
Departemen Kehutanan melakukan upaya kerja
sama dengan TNI Angkatan Laut dan berhasil
menangkap pengapalan kayu ilegal. Tiga kapal
barang yang memuat 25.000 m3 kayu ilegal
ditangkap di lepas pantai Pangkalanbun, yang
merupakan “wilayah kekuasaan” Abdul
Rasyid di Kalimantan Tengah. Berbagai upaya
ditempuh oleh pihak Kepolisian Republik
Indonesia untuk melepaskan kapal-kapal
tersebut dan melelang muatannya. Akhirnya
“pertarungan” tersebut dimenangkan oleh
© Faith Doherty / EIA / Telapak

pihak kepolisian pada bulan Juli 2002. Tidak

ada hukuman yang dijatuhkan walaupun
terdapat banyak bukti keterlibatan perusahaan
yang merupakan bagian dari Tanjung Lingga
Group milik Abdul Rasyid dalam pengapalan
kayu ilegal tersebut. Wartawan yang

2
 Introduction

melaporkan ke Departemen Kehutanan tentang Left: Timber baron

adanya pengapalan ilegal tersebut hampir tewas Abdul Rasyid sits in
diserang dengan mandau di Pangkalanbun. the Parliament (MPR)
Perkembangan sikap politik internasional and spreads his
terhadap illegal logging telah menunjukkan influence.
perubahan yang jelas, dan pemerintah
Indonesia menjadi fokus banyak perkembangan
Yayat Afianto / Telapak / EIA

yang positif tersebut. Pembicaraan baru antara

Indonesia dan negara-negara konsumen kayu
telah membuahkan suatu rencana aksi untuk
menanggulangi illegal logging di Indonesia dan
penutupan pasar bagi kayu ilegal.
Pada bulan Juli 2002, Menteri Kehutanan
Prakosa menandatangani kesepakatan yang
merupakan jalan pembuka untuk mewujudkan
the ships. The journalist who alerted the cita-cita bahwa pemberian ijin pengusahaan
Ministry to the illegal cargo almost lost his life hutan hanya diberikan pada yang beroperasi
in a machete attack in Pangkalanbun. secara legal dan berkelanjutan. Menteri
There have been sweeping changes in Lingkungan Nabiel Makarim telah
international political attitudes to illegal logging mengumumkan pembentukan suatu tim khusus
over the last year, and to its credit the Government yang telah bekerja sama dengan Departemen
of Indonesia has been at the centre of many of Kehutanan untuk memerangi illegal logging dan
these positive developments. New dialogue terdiri dari penyidik, pengacara, hakim, serta
between Indonesia and timber consuming nations pihak Departemen Perdagangan dan Industri.
has already resulted in concrete action plans to Jika diterapkan secara sungguh-sungguh,
tackle illegal logging in Indonesia and to close the langkah-langkah tersebut akan menuju ke arah
markets for illegal timber. yang tepat, akan tetapi pada saat yang sama
In July 2002 Minister Prakosa signed kerusakan hutan tetap terus berlangsung.
decrees paving the way for his stated goal of Sudah saatnya Presiden mengambil alih kendali
only allowing forest concessions that operate untuk mengenyahkan korupsi. Pejabat reformis
legally and sustainably. The Minister for the yang jujur dan proaktif sangat perlu mendapat
Environment Nabiel Makarim has announced dukungan dari aparat penegak hukum, jaksa
the formation of a special illegal logging team dan hakim yang jujur. Pada saat ini mata dunia
made up of investigators, lawyers and judges tertuju pada Indonesia dan yang terlihat adalah
and the Minister of Trade and Industry has korupsi yang merajalela. Presiden perlu
teamed up with the Ministry of Forestry to menempatkan insan terbaik dan yang tidak
fight illegal logging. terseret dalam pusaran korupsi dalam jajaran
If implemented, these are all steps in the right pejabat penegak hukum dan peradilan. Ini satu-
direction, but at the moment the destruction satunya cara untuk memberi kesempatan
continues unabated. Now is the time for kepada hutan Indonesia dan juga manusia
leadership against corruption from the President’s Indonesia untuk dapat bernapas.
Office. Honest and proactive reformist officials Dave Currey, Direktur, Environmental
desperately need support from honest Investigation Agency (EIA)
enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges. At
the moment the world looks at Indonesia and Hapsoro, Koordinator Unit Kerja Pengelolaan
sees endemic corruption. The President needs to Sumber Daya Alam Hayati, TELAPAK Now is the
flush out the best and most incorruptible people Oktober 2002
in the enforcement authorities and the judiciary
time for
and set them to work. This is the only way the leadership
forests and the people of Indonesia will have a
chance to take a breath. against
Dave Currey, Director, Environmental corruption
Investigation Agency (EIA)
from the
Hapsoro, Coordinator of Natural Resources
Management Unit, TELAPAK President’s
October 2002 Office
3
Law of the Jungle

Right: Illegal logging

is destroying the last
virgin Indonesian
forests.
© Dave Currey / EIA / Telapak

Law of the Jungle Hukum Rimba

Justice for Sale Keadilan Diobral
The failure of the authorities to prosecute Kegagalan pihak berwenang untuk menuntut
senior officials and timber barons blatantly para pejabat tinggi dan raja kayu yang secara
plundering Indonesia’s dwindling forests comes terang-terangan menjarah hutan Indonesia yang
as no surprise to those familiar with Indonesia’s semakin menyusut, bukan suatu kejutan bagi
rampantly corrupt judicial system. Corruption mereka yang tahu betapa korupnya sistem
was a cornerstone of the authoritarian rule of peradilan Indonesia. Korupsi merupakan
former dictator Soeharto. Since his downfall in landasan kekuasaan otoriter mantan diktator
1998 the formerly centralised system of Soeharto. Sejak kejatuhannya pada 1998,
corruption, collusion and nepotism has mutated sistem korupsi, kolusi dan nepotisme yang
“ I didn’t into a regional phenomenon, creating a semula terpusat berubah menjadi fenomena
realize powerful regional elite. The reformation regional dengan menciptakan elite daerah yang
movement has patently failed to tackle berkuasa. Gerakan reformasi jelas gagal
that the corruption. Transparency International’s latest menanggulangi korupsi. Indeks Transparency
Index ranks Indonesia at 96 out of 102 Internasional terbaru menempatkan Indonesia
situation countries, marking it as one of the most corrupt di urutan ke-96 dari 102 negara, artinya
could be countries in the world.1 Indonesia termasuk salah satu negara terkorup
Even the United Nations’s special di dunia.1
as bad as rapporteur on the independence of judges and Bahkan pelapor khusus PBB tentang
what I’ve lawyers, Dato Param Cumaraswamy, Independensi hakim dan pengacara, Dato
commented on his recent visit to Indonesia: Param Cumaraswamy, berkomentar tentang
seen ” “I didn’t realize that the situation could be as kunjungannya baru-baru ini di Indonesia:
UN special rapporteur bad as what I’ve seen.”2 Indonesia Corruption “Saya tidak menyadari bahwa situasinya
on the independence of Watch’s (ICW) report “Lifting the Lid on the sampai seburuk yang saya saksikan.”2 Laporan
judges and lawyers, Judicial Mafia” states: “(The) court mafia Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) “Lifting the
August 2002 involves all actors . . . from the police, court Lid on the Judicial Mafia” menyatakan: “Mafia

4
 Law of the Jungle

peradilan melibatkan semua aktor . . . dari Left: Abdul Rasyid

polisi, administrator peradilan, pengacara, was nominated to the
jaksa, hingga hakim dan penjaga penjara.” 3 Parliament by the
Dalam publikasi Transparancy International Golkar Party.
“Corruption Perceptions Index 2002” Peter
Eigen, ketuanya, menyatakan: “Politikus
semakin sering mengobral retorika memerangi
korupsi, namun tidak ada tindakan yang
diambil . . . para elit politik korup di negara
berkembang bekerja sama dengan pelaku bisnis
yang rakus dan investor tak bermoral,
mendahulukan keuntungan bagi diri sendiri
ketimbang memikirkan kesejahteraan rakyat
dan membangun perekonomian negara mereka.
Dari illegal logging hingga penambangan
berlian yang penuh tragedi berdarah, kita
menjadi saksi penjarahan bumi dan insannya
dengan cara yang merusak.”4
Terdapat hubungan jelas antara korupsi
dan nasib lingkungan. Penelitian yang
dilakukan oleh Yale Center for Environmental
Law and Policy mengukur 22 faktor kunci
yang mengindikasikan kinerja lingkungan
sebuah negara, atau Indeks Keberlanjutan
Lingkungan (Environmental Sustainability
Index = ESI). ESI lalu dibandingkan dengan
67 kriteria mutu kehidupan, seperti mortalitas
administrators, lawyers, prosecutors, to judges bayi dan persentase daerah yang dilindungi
and prison guards.”3 di suatu negara.
On publication of Transparency Dari ke-67 variabel, korupsi memiliki
International’s “Corruption Perceptions Index korelasi tertinggi dengan kinerja lingkungan,
2002” its chairman Peter Eigen stated: yang menunjukkan bahwa negara dengan
“Politicians increasingly pay lip-service to the tingkat korupsi rendah memiliki kemampuan
fight against corruption but they fail to act . . . lebih baik dalam mengelola sumber daya alam
corrupt political elites in the developing world, dan bahwa penegakan hukum merupakan
working hand-in-hand with greedy business faktor kunci dalam menyokong keberhasilan
people and unscrupulous investors, are putting lingkungan.5
private gain before the welfare of citizens and Dalam sektor kehutanan Indonesia, korupsi
the economic development of their countries. yang merajalela di seluruh pelosok negara
From illegal logging to blood diamonds, we mudah terlihat. Polisi yang menyelidiki illegal
are seeing the plundering of the earth and its logging di Taman Nasional Tanjung Puting “ Politicians
people in an unsustainable way.”4 gagal menyeret para penjahat besar yang
A clear link exists between corruption and menguasai illegal logging di daerah tersebut. increasingly
the fate of the environment. Pioneering work Meski demikian tukang perahu, penjaga toko, pay
conducted by the Yale Center for anak sekolah, polisi dan politikus semua tahu
Environmental Law and Policy measured 22 tampang para penjahat tersebut. Para penjahat lip-service
key factors indicating a country’s environmental dan petugas korup antek-antek mereka tak
performance, or Environmental Sustainability terjangkau oleh hukum.
to the fight
Index (ESI). The ESI was compared against Ketika tiga kapal barang Cina ditangkap against
67 quality of life measures, such as infant dengan muatan 25.000 meter kubik kayu ilegal,
mortality and percentage of protected land terjadi pertarungan panjang antara para corruption
in a country. petugas Departemen Kehutanan, yang telah but they fail
Of the 67 variables corruption had the mengumpulkan bukti dan ingin menuntut para
highest correlation with environmental pelakunya, dengan para perwira polisi senior. to act . . .”
performance, showing that countries with low Dalam sepucuk surat kepada Menteri Peter Eigen, Chair
corruption rates are better able to manage Luar Negeri mengenai kasus ini, Brigadir Transparency
natural resources and that the rule of law is a key Jenderal Polisi Trimada Dani menyatakan: International 2002

5
Law of the Jungle

Right: Illegal logs

seized on board the
Mandarin Sea.

© EIA/Telapak

factor underpinning environmental success.5 “Kapal-kapal tersebut tidak dapat ditahan

In Indonesia’s forest sector it is easy to see karena tidak ada bukti bahwa ketiga kapal
corruption at work across the country. Police itu digunakan untuk mengangkut kayu”.6
investigating illegal logging in Tanjung Puting Pernyataan ini memperlihatkan keanehan
National Park have failed to prosecute the major penegakan hukum di Indonesia, karena ketiga
criminals who control illegal logging in this kapal tersebut ditahan di sebuah pelabuhan di
region. Yet boatmen, shopkeepers, schoolchildren, Jakarta selama lima bulan lengkap dengan
police and politicians all know the cast of criminal muatan kayu ilegal itu. Ketiga kapal itu
characters. These criminals and their corrupt tertangkap basah oleh patroli Angkatan Laut
official lackeys are above the law. Indonesia ketika membawa kayu bulat tanpa
When three Chinese cargo ships were seized disertai dokumen resmi dan setelah
with 25,000 m3 of illegal logs on board there Pemerintah Indonesia menetapkan larangan
was a constant battle between the Ministry of ekspor kayu bulat. Karena itu, sulit
“ The ships dimengerti, bukti apa lagi yang diperlukan.
Forestry officials who had gathered evidence
cannot be and wanted prosecutions and senior police Dalam pertemuan untuk menentukan
officials. In a letter sent by Police Brigadier nasib kapal-kapal dan muatannya, para
arrested General Trimada Dani to the Ministry of pejabat kepolisian bersikeras untuk
because Foreign Affairs about this case he stated: selekasnya melelang kayu curian tersebut.
“The ships cannot be arrested because there is Brigadir Jenderal Polisi Suyitno LS, kepala
there is no no evidence that these three ships had been reserse tindak pidana khusus (MABES
POLRI) untuk menangani kasus ketiga kapal
evidence used to transport the logs”.6 This statement
barang tersebut, juga terlibat dalam pelepasan
shows the surreal nature of law enforcement in
that these Indonesia, as the ships had been under arrest pengapalan kayu ilegal lainnya. Suyitno
in a port in Jakarta for five months with the memerintahkan agar sekitar 5.000 meter
three ships illegal timber still on board. The ships were kubik kayu curian yang ditangkap di perairan
had been caught red-handed by the Indonesian Navy kepulauan Bangka-Belitung, diijinkan untuk
carrying logs without legal documentation and melanjutkan perjalanan ke tujuan semula,
used to after the government had imposed a log yaitu Pontianak di Kalimantan Barat.7 Sekali
transport export ban. It was difficult to see what further lagi, keputusan ini berpihak kepada para
evidence was required. penjahat yang terlibat dalam kasus itu.
the logs ” In meetings to determine the fate of the Bahkan meskipun polisi melakukan
Police Brig. Gen. ships and the cargo, police officials insisted on penyelidikan sebuah kasus dengan semestinya
Trimada Dani. auctioning the timber at the earliest dan membawanya ke pengadilan, keadilan

6
 Law of the Jungle

opportunity. Brigadier General Suyitno LS, tetap tidak jelas. Menurut ICW, korupsi “ Bribery
chief of a special police investigations unit peradilan terorganisasi begitu baik, sehingga
(MABES POLRI) assigned to the case of the Anda dapat memilih “paket” bagi kasus Anda has now
three cargo ships, is also implicated in the di pengadilan. Salah satunya adalah “paket
release of another shipment of illegal logs. lengkap” sederhana, yaitu bertemu dengan
become
Suyitno ordered that about 5000 m3 of stolen jaksa yang akan mengatur dakwaan dan common
logs seized off Bangka-Belitung islands, tuntutan terhadap tergugat. Bila pembacaan
Sumatra, be allowed to continue their journey tuntutan hukuman ditunda, itu merupakan
practice
to their original destination, Pontianak in West tanda bahwa tergugat harus mendekati hakim in our
Kalimantan.7 Once again this decision favours yang berharap mendapatkan “uang lelah”.
the criminals involved in the case. Atau, untuk sidang-sidang maraton, segala judiciary.
Even if the police properly investigate a case sesuatunya dapat diatur, mulai dari saksi dan The
and it comes to court justice remains elusive. bukti, hingga pertanyaan hakim dan jawaban
Court corruption is so well organised according tergugat.8 Pengamat hukum Luhut M.P. judiciary
to ICW that you can choose which “package” Pangaribuan mengatakan: “Sekarang suap
to see your case through court. This could menjadi praktek lazim dalam pengadilan kita.
can be
include seeing the prosecutor, which is the Pengadilan dapat dibeli seperti sebuah bought
simpler “all-in package” who will arrange the komoditi.”9
charges and the verdict for you. If a defendant Menteri Kehutanan DR. Muhammad like a
finds the verdict postponed it indicates that the Prakosa dan Menteri Lingkungan Hidup commodity.”
defendant needs to approach the judge who will Nabiel Makarim sama-sama mengakui bahwa
Legal observer Luhut
expect “hard work money”. Or, for those korupsi di departemen mereka dan dikalangan
M. P. Pangaribuan,
marathon court hearings everything can be penegak hukum telah berakar sedemikan rupa
August 2002
arranged from witnesses and evidence, to sehingga sulit untuk menuntut mereka yang
judges’ questions and defendant’s answers.8 mengorganisasikan illegal logging. Kepala biro
Legal observer Luhut M. P. Pangaribuan states: hukum Departemen Kehutanan, Suprayitno,
“Bribery has now become common practice in mengatakan: “Anda tahu bahwa para cukong
our judiciary. The judiciary can be bought like tersebut sangat berkuasa secara finansial.
a commodity.”9 Banyak petugas dan pejabat keamanan justru
Both Minister of Forestry Dr Muhammad melindungi mereka.”10

Left: Documents
clearly show that
the ships were
bound for China.
© EIA / Telapak

7
Law of the Jungle

Right: Primkopad is
an army cooperative
owning a sawmill in
Surabaya.

Prakosa and Environment Minister Nabiel Kolusi Militer

Makarim have acknowledged that corruption
Keterlibatan militer dalam aktivitas ilegal
within their ministries and law enforcement
sudah dianggap biasa di Indonesia. Muncul
officers exists to a point that it is difficult to
ratusan laporan tentang keterlibatan militer
prosecute those organising illegal logging.
dalam illegal logging dan kalangan
Head of the Ministry of Forestry’s legal affairs
Pemerintah pun mengakui masalah serius ini.
department Suprayitno said: “You know those
Laporan tentang anggota militer yang
financiers are very powerful financially. Many
memiliki usaha penggergajian ilegal,
of our security personnel and officials are
melindungi cukong kayu, dan menekan agar
protecting them.”10
kayu sitaan dilepaskan, dianggap sebagai
praktek yang merajalela dan sudah biasa.
Military collusion Sebagai contoh, penelitian yang dilakukan
Military involvement in illegal activities is taken pada 1999 menemukan bahwa dari 25 usaha
“ You know for granted in Indonesia. Hundreds of reports penggergajian ilegal yang beroperasi dekat
of military involvement in illegal logging have Taman Nasional Bukit Tigapuluh di Sumatra,
those emerged and there is recognition of this serious 13 di antaranya dilindungi oleh angkatan
financiers problem within government. Reports of bersenjata.11
military personnel owning illegal sawmills, Di Papua Barat penduduk desa
are very backing timber barons, and applying pressure melaporkan kayu-kayu mereka dicuri oleh
powerful for the release of confiscated logs are anggota militer. Banyak yang mengaku telah
widespread and common. For instance research diancam atau dipukul dan kesaksian mereka
financially. carried out in 1999 found that out of 25 illegal menggambarkan gertakan, kekerasan dan
Many of our sawmills operating near Bukit Tigapuluh pemerkosaan yang dilakukan secara
National Park in Sumatra, 13 were backed by sistematik. Menurut Elsham News Service,
security the armed forces.11 salah satu nara sumber mereka di Papua
In West Papua testimonies have been berbicara dengan anggota militer yang
personnel collected from villagers who had their timber mengaku bahwa pucuk pimpinan mereka
and stolen by military personnel. Many of them mengijinkan anak buahnya yang berasal dari
claim to have been threatened or beaten and luar Papua “berbisnis kayu guna mendukung
officials are the testimonies describe systematic bullying, kebutuhan hidup sehari-hari tentara.”12
protecting violence and rape. According to Elsham News Hal ini tidak terlalu mengejutkan
Service, one of their Papuan sources spoke mengingat situasi keuangan militer Indonesia
them.” with military personnel who conceded that yang tersebar di seluruh penjuru. Militer
Suprayitno, Ministry of those brought into Papua from outside are hanya menerima sekitar seperempat
Forestry Legal Affairs, allowed by the military top brass “to conduct
August 2002 timber and logging trade / business to sustain

8
 Law of the Jungle

troops daily expenses.”12 kebutuhan belanjanya dari anggaran The

This is hardly surprising given the funding pertahanan negara – sisanya harus diperoleh
situation of Indonesia’s sprawling military. The dari usaha bisnis resmi dan ilegal yang military
military only receives about a quarter of its dijalankan militer. Dilaporkan bahwa sekitar
finances from the government defence budget – 65 persen dana usaha tersebut diselewengkan,
only
the rest has to be pulled together from legal and sehingga para prajurit harus menjalankan receives
illegal business enterprises run by the military. bisnis mereka sendiri. Bisnis tersebut sering
It is reported that about 65 per cent of these tak terjangkau hukum dan mencakup beragam
about a
enterprise funds are siphoned off, leaving aktivitas seperti ilegal logging, penggergajian quarter
soldiers to run their own businesses. These ilegal, penambangan, penyelundupan,
businesses are often beyond the law and perjudian, bisnis narkoba, pelacuran dan of its
encompass activities such as illegal logging, pemerasan.13 finances
illegal sawmills, mining, smuggling, gambling, Sejumlah yayasan mengelola kerajaan
drugs, prostitution and extortion.13 bisnis TNI. Sebuah laporan yang diterbitkan from the
A number of foundations manage the pada Mei 2001 menyimpulkan bahwa tak
business empire of the army (TNI). A report satu pun dari yayasan-yayasan yang dibentuk
defence
published in May 2001 concluded that none of untuk membantu kesejahteraan anggota budget
the foundations created to assist the welfare of militer telah melaksanakan tugas sebagaimana
military personnel had in fact done so.14 mestinya.14

Forests’ Last Stand Tegakan Hutan Terakhir

Illegal logging has taken over virtually every Nyaris seluruh hutan Indonesia tak luput dari
forest in Indonesia, with protected areas and penjarahan illegal logging, sampai-sampai
National Parks bearing the brunt of unbridled daerah suaka dan Taman Nasional pun tak
timber extraction. These ecologically vital mampu membendungnya. Di kawasan lindung
yang sangat penting secara ekologis ini sering
dijumpai spesies kayu yang sangat berharga
dan secara harafiah merupakan tegakan
terakhir hutan Indonesia.
Pola yang sama berulang di seluruh
penjuru negeri. The Jakarta Post melaporkan
bahwa illegal logging merajalela di Taman
Nasional Gunung Leuser (Sumatra Utara dan
Aceh), Taman Nasional Kerinci-Seblat (Riau,
Jambi, Bengkulu, Sumatra Barat, Sumatra
Selatan) dan Taman Nasional Lore Lindu
(Sulawesi Tengah).15
Tentang Kerinci-Seblat Gubernur Jambi
Zulkiffli Nurdin menyatakan: “Saya mendapat
banyak laporan bahwa hampir setiap malam,
sekitar 30 truk mengangkut kayu gelondongan
dari kawasan lindung.”16 Di Sulawesi
Tenggara, Gubernur La Ode Kaimoeddin
mengatakan bahwa ratusan orang menjarah
Taman Nasional Rawa Aopa Watumohai dan
hutan lindung di tiga Taman Nasional lainnya
di Propinsi itu telah dikonversi menjadi
perkebunan kelapa sawit.17 Di Jawa Timur,
Gubernur Imam Utomo menyalahkan illegal
© A. Ruwindrijarto – EIA / Telapak

logging, pembukaan lahan dan ketiadaan

program reboisasi yang serius bagi 23 persen
kawasan hutan yang berada dalam kondisi
kritis di Jawa Timur.18 Para pengamat di
Lampung menyatakan bahwa 60 persen Left: Illegal loggers
Taman Nasional Bukit Barisan rusak parah in Gunung Leuser
akibat dijarah.19 National Park.

9
 Law of the Jungle

sanctuaries often contain the most valuable Di Kalimantan Barat, Taman Nasional
timber species and are literally the last stand for Gunung Palung telah rusak parah dan illegal
Indonesia’s forests. logging besar-besaran terus berlangsung di
The pattern is the same across the country. Taman Nasional Tanjung Puting di Kalimantan
The Jakarta Post has reported that illegal Tengah. Diperkirakan bahwa hutan dataran
logging is rampant in Gunung Leuser National rendah di Sumatra akan habis pada tahun 2005
Park (North Sumatra and Aceh), Kerinci-Seblat dan di Kalimantan pada tahun 2010.20
National Park (Riau, Jambi, Bengkulu, West Perubahan lingkungan yang menghantam
Sumatra, South Sumatra), and Lore Lindu Indonesia akibat illegal logging adalah serius
National Park (Central Sulawesi).15 dan mengancam jiwa. Banjir bertambah parah
Below: Log raft on The Governor of Jambi Zulkiffli Nurdin, disertai tanah longsor yang menewaskan
Seruyan River near talking about Kerinci-Seblat stated: “Many penduduk desa dan menghancurkan jaringan
Tanjung Puting reports have reached me that almost every jalan dan rumah-rumah. Pembakaran kawasan
National Park, Central night, some 30 logging trucks transport logs hutan yang baru ditebangi menimbulkan kabut
Kalimantan. out of the protected reserve.” 16 In Southeast asap yang mengganggu pernapasan ribuan
warga di Kalimantan dan Sumatra. Penebangan
di daerah resapan air menyebabkan
tercemarnya persediaan air dan turunnya
permukaan air tanah.
Di Sumatra Utara, proyek PLTA Renun
yang diperkirakan selesai pada tahun 2005,
terancam oleh illegal logging. Jumlah air yang
mengalir telah berkurang drastis. Seorang juru
bicara Kantor Proyek Tenaga Lstrik di Sumatra
Utara memperingatkan bahwa jika penebangan
terus berlanjut, “pembangkit tidak akan
mampu menyediakan listrik bagi jutaan industri
rumahan dan ratusan hektar sawah di hilir
sungai terancam puso.”21

Kegagalan di Dalam Negeri

Salah satu perubahan besar sejak 1998 adalah
arus informasi yang tersedia bagi para pejabat
dan petugas penegak hukum untuk
ditindaklanjuti. Informasi menyeluruh tentang
penebangan liar telah dikumpulkan dan
disebarluaskan oleh masyarakat, Ornop,
wartawan dan kalangan industri. Informasi
yang melimpah ini seharusnya memudahkan
penuntutan penjahat, akan tetapi korupsi yang
mengakar mengecilkan dan menekan suara
para pihak terlibat. Kadang-kadang, penebang
liar atau pengangkut kayu didenda, meskipun
jarang sekali akibat kejahatan yang mereka
lakukan. Yang sering terjadi mereka ditahan
karena tidak memberi uang suap kepada
petugas, atau karena dicurangi pesaing mereka.
Pemerintah menanggapi situasi ini dengan
ucapan keras dari Presiden dan para anggota
kabinet, tanpa aksi yang nyata. Petugas-petugas
© Sam Lawson / EIA / Telapak

yang bertanggung jawab dan memiliki tekad di

Departemen Kehutanan dan departemen terkait
lainnya sangat sedikit jumlahnya dibandingkan
para petugas korup yang masih
menggantungkan pendapatan mereka dari
aktivitas-aktivitas ilegal yang berhubungan

10
 Law of the Jungle

Sulawesi Governor La Ode Kaimoeddin said

that hundreds of people had invaded the Rawa
Aopa Watumohai National Park and that
protected forests in three other National Parks
in the Province have been converted to oil palm
plantations.17 In East Java Governor Imam
Utomo blamed illegal logging, land clearance
and the absence of a serious reforestation
programme for the critical condition of 23 per
cent of forested areas in East Java.18 Observers
in Lampung have claimed that 60 per cent of
Bukit Barisan National Park has been seriously
damaged by illegal encroachment.19
In West Kalimantan Gunung Palung
National Park has been seriously damaged and
rampant illegal logging continues in Tanjung
Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan.
Estimates suggest that lowland forest in
Sumatra will be exhausted by 2005 and in
Kalimantan by 2010.20
dengan hutan. Bahkan pejabat teras yang penuh Above: Australian
The environmental changes that have hit
tekad dihalang-halangi oleh politikus, polisi, TV crew on board
Indonesia due to illegal logging are serious and
militer dan peradilan, yang semuanya terperosok the Mandarin Sea.
life-threatening. Flooding has become
noticeably worse with landslides killing dalam politik uang dan korupsi.
villagers and destroying roads and houses. Upaya-upaya Pemerintah Indonesia di
Areas logged have been burned causing choking lingkup internasional untuk mendapatkan
smoke and respiratory problems for thousands dukungan dari masyarakat internasional jauh
of residents in Kalimantan and Sumatra. Water lebih proaktif dan berhasil. Di dalam negeri
supplies have been poisoned and water tables sendiri, kerja keras segelintir petugas dan
lowered where logging has occurred in politikus yang bernurani dikalahkan oleh
catchment areas. realitas politik uang.
In North Sumatra the Renun hydropower Kegagalan harus diukur dengan apa yang
project, which is expected to be completed in sesungguhnya terjadi di hutan. Janji-janji telah
2005, is threatened by illegal logging. The diberikan oleh Presiden Indonesia berturut-
amount of water flowing has already been turut dan para Menteri terkait untuk
reduced considerably. A spokesman for the menghentikan penebangan liar di Taman
Electricity Power Projects Office in North Nasional, lalu Task force serta komite antar
Sumatra has warned that if logging continues, departemen telah dibentuk dan tak terdengar
“the plant would not be able to supply power lagi kiprahnya. Sementara itu, penghancuran
to millions of home industries and that hutan terus berlangsung.
hundreds of hectares of paddy fields Penebangan di Taman Nasional Tanjung
downstream of the river would be Puting telah diajukan dan diterima sebagai batu
threatened.”21 ujian untuk melihat apakah Pemerintah
memiliki kemauan atau kemampuan untuk
Failure At Home bertindak. Lalu pada pertemuan Consultative
Group on Indonesia (CGI) yang Endemic
One of the remarkable changes since 1998 has diselenggarakan di Jakarta pada 2 Februari
been the flow of information available for 2000 Pemerintah Indonesia menyetujui untuk
corruption
officials and enforcement officers to act upon. selekasnya menangani masalah penebangan liar has
Comprehensive information on illegal logging di Taman-Taman Nasional. Pada Juli 2000,
has been collected and disseminated by Presiden Abdurrahman Wahid setuju untuk undermined
communities, NGOs, journalists and industry.
This should have made it easier for
menghapus hak kekebalan anggota MPR Abdul and
Rasyid, yang dituduh mendalangi penebangan
prosecutions but endemic corruption has liar di Taman Nasional Tanjung Puting. Pada quashed
undermined and quashed the voice of September 2000, Sekretaris Jenderal
stakeholders. Occasionally loggers or truckers Departemen Kehutanan, Soeripto, menyatakan
the voice of
will be fined although rarely because of their telah mengajukan dokumen tentang kasus stakeholders
11
Law of the Jungle

Right: Truck hauling

logs out of Tanjung
Puting National Park.

© EIA / Telapak

crime. It is more often the case that those tersebut ke Kejaksaan Agung.
arrested failed to pay the correct official, or fell Pada bulan yang sama, Menteri
foul of a competitor. Lingkungan Hidup Sonny Keraf membahas
The government response has been strong pembentukan sebuah tim peradilan. Ia
words from Presidents and cabinet members mengatakan bahwa ia didorong oleh Jaksa
but little action. Committed and determined Agung Marzuki Darusman untuk
officials in the Ministry of Forestry and other “menuntaskan masalah Tanjung Puting”.
relevant ministries are vastly outnumbered by Menteri Koordinator untuk Urusan Politik
corrupt officials who still depend on their Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono mengatakan
income from illegal activities relating to forests. bahwa tim tersebut akan berada di bawah
Even determined senior officials are blocked by koordinasinya.22
politicians, police, military and the courts, all Pada Desember 2000, Rizal Ramli, Menteri
mired in money politics and corruption. Koordinator bidang Perekonomian mendesak
International efforts by the Government of Jaksa Agung dan Kepala POLRI untuk menahan
Indonesia in securing support from the Abdul Rasyid atas peranannya dalam
international community have been far more penebangan liar di Taman Nasional Tanjung
proactive and successful. Domestically, the Puting.23 Februari 2001, Jaksa Agung Marzuki
realities of money-politics undermine the best Darusman mengaku tidak tahu menahu
efforts of a small band of committed officials mengenai adanya dokumen kasus tersebut.
and politicians. Konyolnya, Sekretaris Jenderal Departemen
The logging The failure has to be measured by what is Kehutanan justru diperintahkan untuk
of Tanjung actually happening in the forest. Promises melakukan penyidikan atas kasus yang lain.
have been made by successive Presidents and Pada bulan Mei 2002, Presiden Megawati
Puting relevant Ministers to stop illegal logging in Soekarnoputri menyerukan penghentian
has been National Parks, and Task Forces and inter- sementara kegiatan penebangan. Ia mengatakan
departmental committees have come and gone. “Kita harus memberi kesempatan kepada hutan
accepted Meanwhile the destruction continues. kita untuk bernapas”.24 Pada bulan Juli 2002,
The logging of Tanjung Puting National
as a test Park has been put forward and accepted as a
Menteri Lingkungan Hidup Nabiel Makarim
mengumumkan sebuah tim penegak hukum
case test case to see whether the government has baru yang “tidak bisa dipengaruhi” untuk

12
 Law of the Jungle

the will or ability to act and at the menangani kejahatan lingkungan, khususnya If strong
Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI) illegal logging.25 Belum apa-apa sudah muncul
meeting held in Jakarta on 2nd February 2000 keraguan apakah tim yang terdiri dari hakim, words and
the Government of Indonesia agreed to deal penyidik dan jaksa ini akan sungguh-sungguh
immediately with the issue of illegal logging in terbentuk. Pada Agustus 2002, Departemen
committees
National Parks. In July 2000 the then Perdagangan dan Industri dan Departemen could stop
President Wahid agreed to remove the Kehutanan mengumumkan pembentukan
immunity of Peoples’ Consultative Assembly sebuah badan baru untuk membantu mengatasi
illegal
(MPR) member Abdul Rasyid, accused of “berbagai masalah yang dihadapi industri logging,
being behind the illegal logging of Tanjung berbasis hutan Indonesia yang sedang sakit.”26
Puting National Park. In September 2000 the Bila kata-kata keras dan pembentukan the loggers
then Secretary General of the Ministry of komite-komite dapat menghentikan would have
Forestry, Soeripto, claimed to have forwarded penebangan liar, para penebang tentu telah
a dossier on the case to the Attorney General. lama meninggalkan Tanjung Puting. Sebaliknya left Tanjung
Also in September Environment Minister yang terjadi, karena lemahnya kemauan politik
Sonny Keraf discussed the establishment of a dan upaya penegakan hukum yang sungguh-
Puting a
judicial team. He stated that he had been sungguh, penjarahan hutan terus berlangsung. long time
encouraged by the Attorney General Marzuki Sebagai batu ujian, Taman Nasional
Darusman to “finish the problem of Tanjung Tanjung Puting masih merupakan indikator ago
Puting”. The Coordinating Minister for kegagalan Pemerintah dalam menghentikan
Political Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono illegal logging di Taman-Taman Nasional.
stated that this team would come under his Taman Nasional tersebut masih dijarah secara
coordination.22 terang-terangan. Abdul Rasyid masih duduk
In December 2000 Rizal Ramli, the sebagai anggota Majelis Permusyawaratan
Coordinating Minister for the Economy urged Rakyat (MPR) walaupun bukti-bukti dan
the Attorney General and chief of Police to dokumentasi mengenai keterlibatan
arrest Abdul Rasyid because of his role in the perusahaannya dalam aktivitas ilegal terus
illegal logging of Tanjung Puting National bertambah. Ia dan koleganya sesama penjahat
Park.23 By February 2001 the Attorney membuktikan diri sebagai orang-orang yang
General Marzuki Darusman denied any berada di luar jangkauan hukum.
knowledge of a dossier. Farcically the
Secretary General was ordered to carry out
another investigation.
In May 2002 President Megawati Wednesday, December 06 - 2000
Soekarnoputri called for a temporary
moratorium of logging activities, saying: “ Minister seeks swift arrest
We must give our forest a chance to take a of MPR member
breath”.24 In July 2002 the current JAKARTA (IO) Coordinating Minister for the
Environment Minister Nabiel Makarim Economy Rizal Ramli yesterday urged authorities
announced a new “untouchable” team of law to arrest a member of the nations top legislative
enforcers to handle environmental crime, body for running an illegal logging operation in a
especially illegal logging.25 Already there are national park. Rizal told Attorney General Marzuki
doubts as to whether this team of judges, Darusman and a representative of National Police
Chief General Suroyo Bimantoro that the legislator
investigators and prosecutors will really be set
is in charge of logging that takes place at Tanjung
up. In August 2002 the Ministry of Trade and Putting National Park in Central Kalimantan.
Industry and the Ministry of Forestry
The rogue legislator was identified only as A.R., a
announced a new agency to help face the
member of the Peoples Consultative Assembly
“various problems facing the country’s ailing
(MPR). Rizal met with Marzuki and Bimantoros
forest-based industry”.26 operational assistant Sutiyoso at the headquarters
If strong words and setting up committees of theNational Development Planning Board
could stop illegal logging, the loggers would (Bappenas) on Jalan Diponegoro, Central Jakarta.
have left Tanjung Puting a long time ago. Yet
given the lack of genuine political will and
enforcement the pillage continues.
As a test case, Tanjung Puting National
Park still acts as an excellent indicator of
government failure in tackling illegal logging

13
 Law of the Jungle

Sukses Internasional
Walaupun kegagalan-kegagalan terjadi seperti
di atas, ada perubahan nyata didalam
Departemen Kehutanan. Menteri Prakosa telah
mengambil langkah-langkah penting dengan
mengeluarkan kebijakan-kebijakan yang
berani, walau masih harus dibuktikan apakah
kebijakan-kebijakan tersebut dapat diterapkan
dalam iklim saat ini. Di dalam negeri, Prakosa
telah membuat keputusan menteri (Kepmen)
tentang pemberian konsesi dengan kriteria
keberlanjutan yang lebih ketat. Ia mendukung
pencantuman spesies kayu ramin (Gonystylus
spp.) dalam Appendix III Konvensi tentang
Perdagangan Internasional Spesies-spesies yang
Terancam Punah (CITES) yang dilakukan
© Faith Doherty / EIA / Telapak

pendahulunya. Ia menerapkan pelarangan

ekspor kayu bulat dan para bawahannya
bekerja sama dengan TNI AL dan sejumlah
unsur kepolisian menahan kapal-kapal yang
mengangkut kayu curian. Setelah mendapat
tekanan internasional, Malaysia melarang
impor kayu bulat dari Indonesia.
Sejak penandatanganan Deklarasi tingkat
Above: Minister Menteri tentang Forest law Enforcement and
in National Parks. The Park is still being
Prakosa signs Governance (FLEG) pada September 2001,
openly logged. Abdul Rasyid, despite growing
MOU with the UK Indonesia telah mengambil langkah maju
evidence and documentation of his company’s
government to work dengan membentuk satuan tugas regional.
involvement in illegal activity, still sits in the
to stop illegal logging Dengan dukungan Menteri Prakosa, Sekretaris
Peoples’ Consultative Assembly (MPR). He
and trade in illegal Jenderal Departemen Kehutanan Wahjudi
and his criminal colleagues have proven that
timber. Wardojo membentuk sebuah tim kuat di
they are above the law.
tingkateselon atas Departemen Kehutanan.
Perjanjian bilateral dengan Inggris telah
International Success ditandatangani untuk menanggulangi illegal
Despite the failures described above there has logging di Indonesia serta perdagangan kayu
been a real change in the Ministry of Forestry. dan produk kayu dari sumber ilegal ke Inggris.
Minister Prakosa has taken a valuable lead on Inggris akan menyediakan paket dukungan
forging ahead with courageous policies, many termasuk bantuan teknis dan keuangan untuk
of which have yet to prove whether they can be membangun mekanisme pelacakan kayu bulat
implemented in the current climate. dan pemantauan independen terhadap sistem-
Domestically he has written decrees to bring sistem tersebut.
concessions under stricter sustainability criteria. Kesepakatan antara Inggris-Indonesia ini
He has supported the Convention on berperan sebagai katalis untuk membawa
International Trade in Endangered Species Indonesia kedalam perundingan dengan
(CITES) Appendix III listing of the timber Jepang, Cina, Uni Eropa (EU), Norwegia dan
species ramin (Gonystylus spp.) adopted by his Finlandia. Uni Eropa sedang merancang suatu
predecessor. He has imposed a log export ban pengumuman resmi yang diharapkan akan
and his officers have cooperated with the Navy menelurkan peraturan tegas yang melarang
and some elements in the police in impor kayu dan produk kayu dari sumber-
apprehending ships carrying illegal logs. sumber ilegal. Jepang telah melangkah maju
Malaysia, after international pressure, has bersama Indonesia pada sebuah Kemitraan
adopted a ban on the importation of Kehutanan Asia (AFP), meskipun wujud
Indonesian logs. sesungguhnya dan keefektifan kemitraan
Since the Forest Law Enforcement and regional semacam itu masih belum jelas betul.
Governance (FLEG) Ministerial Declaration in Semua ini merupakan tanda-tanda
September 2001, Indonesia has taken the lead komitmen menjanjikan dari beberapa bagian

14
 Law of the Jungle

in developing a regional task force. With Pemerintah Indonesia untuk sungguh-sungguh The real
Minister Prakosa’s support, Secretary General menghentikan illegal logging. Gelagat ini
Wahjudi Wardojo has developed a strong team didukung dengan antusias oleh masyarakat test of the
in the upper echelons of the Ministry. A internasional. Meskipun demikian, ujian
bilateral agreement has been signed with the sesungguhnya terhadap sikap pemerintah
government’s
UK to tackle illegal logging in Indonesia and terletak di hutan, di mana belum tampak resolve
the trade in illegally sourced timber and timber tanda-tanda perusakan akan menyurut.
products into the UK. The UK will provide a
lies in the
package of support including technical and Dampak Desentralisasi forests
financial assistance to develop log tracking
Di sejumlah daerah di Indonesia, sebagian
mechanisms and independent monitoring of
besar kekuasaan telah dialihkan dari
these systems.
pemerintah pusat ke pemerintah propinsi dan
This UK-Indonesia agreement has acted as a
kepada para bupati yang tidak dipilih secara
catalyst to get Indonesia talking with Japan,
langsung. Di sejumlah kasus terdapat bukti
China, the European Union (EU), Norway and
nyata bahwa elit politik baru di daerah
Finland. The EU is already drafting a
memanfaatkan dan menikmati kekuasaan
communication which it is hoped will result in
barunya serta mengekploitasi hutan untuk
a strong regulation banning the import of
memperkaya diri sendiri dengan cara-cara yang
illegally sourced timber and timber products.
serupa dengan para elit politik Jakarta di jaman
Japan has taken a lead with Indonesia on an
Orde Baru.
Asian Forest Partnership (AFP), although the
Raja kayu Abdul Rasyid memanfaatkan
exact nature and effectiveness of such a
peralihan kekuasaan ini untuk membangun
regional partnership is not yet clear.
kekuasan korup yang kuat berlandaskan pada
These are all hopeful signs of the
politik uang dan ketidaksukaan terhadap
commitment from parts of the Indonesian
pemerintah pusat [Jakarta]. Dalam sebuah
government to seriously tackle illegal logging,
laporan yang terbit pada tahun 2000,
signs that are being enthusiastically supported
terungkap bahwa ia adalah salah seorang
by the international community. Yet the real
penyedia dana utama untuk menyuap dan
test of the government’s resolve lies in the
forests, where no let up in the onslaught is yet
discernible.
Left: Ramin frame
Impact of Decentralisation moulds for sale in
Italy, August 2002.
In some parts of Indonesia, much of the power
has been transferred from central government
to provincial governments and un-elected local
regency governors (bupatis). In some of these
cases there is clear evidence of the new regional
political elite making the most of their new-
found power and exploiting the forest for their
own gain in ways similar to those of the former
New Order Jakarta political elite.
Timber baron Abdul Rasyid has taken
advantage of this switch of power to build
himself a strong corrupt power base built on
money politics and resentment of Jakarta. In a
report published in 2000 it was revealed that he
was one of the main sources of money used to
bribe parliamentarians for their vote in the
political race for Governor of Central
© Sam Lawson / EIA / Telapak

Kalimantan.27 By backing the winner, Rasyid

has increased his influence in Central
Kalimantan and spread his corrupt influence far
wider by being appointed as regional
representative to the national MPR.
In other parts of Indonesia there are regular

15
 Law of the Jungle

membeli suara anggota DPRD dalam

perebutan kursi Gubernur Kalimantan
Tengah.27 Dengan dukungannya kepada sang
pemenang, Rasyid telah menaikkan pamornya
di Kalimantan Tengah dan menyebarkan
© Juliette Williams/EIA/Telapak

pengaruh korupnya lebih luas lagi setelah

ditunjuk sebagai wakil utusan daerah di MPR.
Di daerah-daerah lain sering terjadi
kontradiksi antara keputusan pemerintah
propinsi dan pemerintah pusat. Contohnya,
Gubernur Papua Barat JP Salosa baru-baru ini
mengeluarkan keputusan yang mengijinkan
ekspor kayu bulat dari Papua Barat kendati
ada larangan ekspor secara nasional.29 Di
Above: Fire spreads contradictions between provincial and central banyak daerah, telah menjadi rahasia umum
out of control in East government decrees. For instance, recently, the bahwa kayu-kayu ilegal dari Taman Nasional
Kalimantan. West Papuan Governor JP Salosa issued a dikenai pajak oleh para bupati.
decree allowing the export of logs from West Meskipun ada kontradiksi semacam ini,
Above right: Tanjung
Papua despite the national export ban.29 In dalam jangka panjang diharapkan otonomi
Lingga Group has
many parts of Indonesia it is well known that daerah dapat membantu memberantas korupsi
capitalised on
illegal logs from National Parks have been dan mencegah ekploitasi sumber daya alam
decentralisation.
taxed by local bupatis. secara serampangan, yaitu dengan lebih
Despite these contradictions, in the longer- mendekatkan sistem politik kepada rakyat,
term it is hoped that local autonomy will help ketimbang bergantung pada keputusan dari
curb corruption and rampant natural resource Jakarta sebagaimana halnya di masa silam.
exploitation by bringing the political system Walau demikian, diperlukan prasyarat untuk
closer to the people, rather than all decisions mencapai perkembangan positif tersebut, yaitu:
emanating from Jakarta as in the past. Yet a pemilihan umum secara langsung, transparan
pre-requisite for such a positive development is dan jujur bagi seluruh pejabat di tingkat
direct, transparent and fair elections for all kabupaten maupun propinsi.
local and provincial officials.

16
 The Untouchable Tanjung Lingga

The Untouchable Tanjung

Lingga
A stark illustration of the total failure of
Indonesia’s legal system to deal with forest
crimes is provided by the illegal activities of
Abdul Rasyid’s Tanjung Lingga Group of
companies, particularly its involvement in the
case of three ships carrying stolen logs
intercepted by the Indonesian Navy in
November 2001.

© Telapak/ EIA
Tanjung Lingga’s involvement in the illegal
logging of Tanjung Puting is well-documented.30
In 1999 Rasyid’s name was included on a list of
18 timber barons accused of flagrant law-
breaking by the Ministry of Forestry. In August
2000 the Panama-registered vessel Progress A, Above: Lingga
owned by Tanjung Lingga subsidiary Lingga Tanjung Lingga yang Tak Marintama’s
Marintama, was seized off the coast of Riau
Province, carrying meranti logs without the
Terjamah Progress A, seized off
Riau carrying logs
necessary permission. Under the Indonesian Sebuah ilustrasi gamblang tentang kegagalan without
forestry law of 1999 the illegal transport of total sistem hukum Indonesia menangani documentation in
timber carries a sentence of up to ten years in kejahatan hutan dapat dilihat pada aktivitas- August 2000.
prison. Yet the case was never prosecuted and aktivitas ilegal Tanjung Lingga Group milik
the ship was released after transport documents Abdul Rasyid, terutama keterlibatannya dalam
mysteriously appeared after the seizure. kasus tiga kapal yang mengangkut kayu curian
In October 2001 six vessels were seized in yang berhasil dicegat oleh TNI AL pada bulan
the port of Kumai, near Tanjung Puting, November 2001.
carrying illegal timber. One of these vessels was Keterlibatan Tanjung Lingga dalam illegal
the barge Lingga Marine 006, owned by Lingga logging di Tanjung Puting terdokumentasi dengan
Marintama. Again the vessel was released when baik.30 Tahun 1999, nama Rasyid tercantum
a transport permit appeared. dalam daftar 18 cukong kayu yang dituduh
In addition to illegally transporting timber, melanggar hukum oleh Departemen Kehutanan.
directors of Tanjung Lingga were involved in Agustus 2000, sebuah kapal berbendera Panama,
seriously assaulting and threatening two Progress A, milik Lingga Marintama anak
members of EIA/Telapak’s staff in January 2000. perusahaan Tanjung Lingga, ditahan di lepas
pantai Propinsi Riau, setelah kepergok
mengangkut kayu meranti tanpa disertai
dokumen yang diperlukan. Di bawah undang-
undang kehutanan Indonesia tahun 1999,
pengangkutan kayu secara ilegal dapat dikenai
hukuman penjara hingga sepuluh tahun. Namun,
kasus ini tidak pernah dibawa ke pengadilan dan
kapal tersebut dibebaskan karena setelah
penahanan tiba-tiba dokumen-dokumen
pengangkutan muncul secara misterius.
Oktober 2001, enam kapal ditahan di
Pelabuhan Kumai, dekat Tanjung Puting,
sedang mengangkut kayu ilegal. Salah satu
kapal tersebut adalah tongkang Lingga Marine
006, milik Lingga Marintama. Lagi-lagi, kapal
tersebut dibebaskan setelah terbit ijin angkut.
Selain mengangkut kayu secara ilegal, para
direktur Tanjung Lingga terlibat dalam Left: Abdul Rasyid
penganiayaan dan mengeluarkan ancaman controls the Tanjung
serius terhadap dua anggota staf LSM Lingga Group.

17
© Dave Currey / EIA / Telapk The Untouchable Tanjung Lingga

Above: Unmarked The assault resulted in two directors receiving a EIA/Telapak pada Januari 2000. Akibat
(illegal) ramin logs paltry one-month probation sentence. penganiayaan tersebut, dua direktur Tanjung
being processed in Yet the most vivid insight into the impunity Lingga dikenai hukuman sepele yaitu satu
sawmill which is part with which Tanjung Lingga break the law and bulan masa percobaan.
of the Tanjung Lingga propagate violence, with the connivance of a Namun, bukti paling jelas tentang
Group. corrupt legal system, is the company’s deep kekebalan Tanjung Lingga dalam pelanggaran
involvement in the case of the three ships, hukum dan penyebaran kekerasan, – berkat
seized off Pangkalanbun in early November sistem hukum korup yang menutup mata
2001. This case pitted the progressive elements belaka -, adalah keterlibatan kuat perusahaan
in the Ministry of Forestry and the Navy tersebut dalam kasus tiga kapal yang ditahan di
against corrupt politicians and police officials, Pangkalanbun pada awal November 2001.
and almost cost a courageous man his life. Kasus ini menghadapkan langsung unsur-unsur
progresif di Departemen Kehutanan dan TNI
Seizure at Sea AL dengan para politikus dan petugas
kepolisian yang korup, dan bahkan nyaris
On October 10th, as the Captain of the
merenggut nyawa seorang pemberani.
Chinese-flagged MV Rong Cheng set course for
Malaysia from Durban, South Africa, he
received a communication from his shipping
Penyergapan di Laut
company Cosco Group Xiamen in China to set Pada 10 Oktober, ketika Kapten Kapal
sail to Pangkalanbun, Central Kalimantan, berbendera Cina MV Rong Cheng dalam
Indonesia. His orders were to go and load the perjalanan dari Durban, Afrika Selatan, menuju
ship with 11,500 m3 of logs and transport them Malaysia, ia menerima pemberitahuan dari
to Ningbo-Zhangjiagang, China.31 Stopping first kantornya, Cosco Group Xiamen, di Cina
in Kuching, Malaysia, the MV Rong Cheng untuk berangkat ke Pangkalanbun, Kalimantan
finally arrived in Pangkalanbun early in the Tengah, Indonesia. Ia diperintahkan untuk
morning on November 5th.32 berlayar dan mengangkut kayu sebanyak
By early November three other 11.500 meter kubik ke Ningbo-Zhangjiagang,

18
 The Untouchable Tanjung Lingga

Left (three pics):

Three cargo ships
carrying illegal logs
seized by the
Indonesian Navy in
cooperation with the
Ministry of Forestry,
November 2001.

© EIA / Telapak

foreign–registered cargo vessels had arrived off Cina.31 Setelah singgah di Kuching, Malaysia,
Pangkalanbun to load logs; The Singapore- akhirnya MV Rong Cheng tiba di
registered MV Mandarin Sea, the Hong Kong- Pangkalanbun pada 5 November subuh.32
registered MV Fonwa Star (destined for Pada awal November tiga kapal barang
Mawan, China)33 and the MV Sea Utility, asing lainnya tiba di lepas pantai Pangkalanbun
registered in Thailand. During the course of untuk mengangkut kayu. Kapal berbendera
that week more than 25,000 m3 of illegally Singapura MV Mandarin Sea, kapal berbendera More than
sourced timber was loaded onto the vessels Hong Kong MV Fonwa Star (tujuan Mawan,
ready for export.34 Cina)33 dan kapal berbendera Thailand MV Sea
25,000 m 3
Such an operation was a brazen Utility. Minggu itu lebih dari 25.000 meter of illegally
contravention of the law. In early October the kubik kayu dari sumber ilegal telah dimuat
Indonesian government had decreed an export dalam ketiga kapal tersebut dan siap ekspor.34 sourced
ban on all logs. Yet on this occasion the Aktivitas semacam itu sungguh merupakan timber
enforcement authorities in Jakarta were pelecehan hukum. Awal Oktober, pemerintah
prepared. Acting on prior information from Indonesia telah mengeluarkan keputusan was loaded
informants, including journalist Abi Kusno pelarangan ekspor kayu bulat. Namun pada
saat itu, petugas penegak hukum di Jakarta
onto the
Nachran, who had been probing Tanjung
Lingga’s business dealings, on the 9th telah siap bertindak. Berdasarkan informasi vessels
November 2002, KRI Pandrong 801, an dari para informan, antara lain wartawan Abi
Indonesian Navy Patrol vessel, was used in a Kusno Nachran, yang sedang menyelidiki
ready for
joint operation between the Ministry of kasak-kusuk bisnis Tanjung Lingga, pada 9 export
19
The Untouchable Tanjung Lingga

Right: Chinese crew

held on board the
seized ships in
Tanjung Priok port,
Jakarta. © EIA / Telapak

Forestry and the Navy to seize the ships. November 2001 kapal patroli TNI AL KRI
The unprecedented enforcement operation Pandrong 801 digunakan dalam operasi
captured three of the vessels, but the MV Sea gabungan Depatemen Kehutanan dan TNI AL
Utility escaped the net. According to witnesses untuk menahan kapal-kapal tersebut.
MV Sea Utility was equipped with machine Operasi penegakan hukum yang baru
guns and anchored further away from the other pertama kali terjadi ini berhasil menangkap
three vessels.35 Sea Utility appeared to disappear tiga kapal, tapi MV Sea Utility lolos dari
after fleeing the scene, and is next recorded sergapan. Menurut para saksi, MV Sea Utility
docking in Bangkok in January 2002. dilengkapi dengan senapan mesin dan berlabuh
Navy Commander Major Yudo Margono agak jauh dari ketiga kapal lainnya.35
with three of his crew boarded the remaining Tampaknya, Sea Utility menghilang setelah
vessels and asked to see documentation for the berhasil lolos dalam penyergapan tersebut, dan
timber and the ship. According to Indonesian baru terlihat kembali pada waktu masuk dok
According to law the transport of logs, or sawn timber must di Bangkok pada bulan Januari 2002.
have with it a document declaring its legality Komandan AL, Mayor Yudo Margono,
Indonesian (SKSHH).36 None of the vessels checked had the bersama tiga anak buahnya naik ke kapal-kapal
required documents and shipping papers yang terjaring dan menanyakan dokumen
law the perijinan untuk kayu dan kapal tersebut.
revealed that the vessels were planning to sail
transport out of Indonesian waters, in clear contravention Menurut undang-undang Indonesia,
of the log export ban.37 pengangkutan kayu gelondongan atau kayu
of logs, KRI Pandrong seized the vessels, crew and gergajian harus disertai dokumen pengangkutan
or sawn timber and escorted the three ships to the Navy (Surat Keterangan Sahnya Hasil
docks in Tanjung Priok port, Jakarta, where the Hutan/SKSHH).36 Tak satu pun dari kapal-kapal
timber vessels and cargo were impounded pending a itu memiliki dokumen yang diperlukan dan
must have full investigation. dokumen pengapalan mengungkapkan bahwa
kapal-kapal itu memang berencana berlayar
with it a The Investigation keluar dari perairan Indonesia, yang jelas-jelas
melanggar larangan ekspor kayu bulat.37
document EIA/Telapak have scrutinised extensive KRI Pandrong menahan ketiga kapal itu
documentation related to the case of the three
declaring ships that show the involvement of Tanjung
berikut para awak dan kayu bawaannya lalu
menggiring mereka ke dok Angkatan Laut di
its legality Lingga and relatives of Rasyid in the failed Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok Jakarta. Di sana,

20
 The Untouchable Tanjung Lingga

attempt to smuggle timber worth at least US$4 Left: Document

million on board the three ships. showing Tanjung
Since January 2000,when some members Lingga Group’s
of his family and company henchmen violently complicity in loading
assaulted and kidnapped two activists from illegal logs for
EIA and Telapak, Abdul Rasyid has been very export.
careful to ensure his name is no longer on
company registers or seen to be personally
involved in the illegal logging of Tanjung
Puting. Instead he now uses his political
influence and did so in this case to derail the
investigation and secure the eventual release
of the three ships.
According to sources close to the
investigation and documents seen by
EIA/Telapak the illegal timber was owned by the
company Bintang Perkasa Utama (BPU). At the
time of the loading operation the “prime
commissioner” or director of BPU was a man
called Agustiar, a nephew of Abdul Rasyid.38
Documents from Nanjing Ocean Shipping,
owner of MV Fonwa Star, relating to the vessel’s
contract to load and deliver the logs list Agustiar
as the General Director of Tanjung Lingga, and
the company as the shippers. However, on 30th ketiga kapal beserta barang muatannya ditahan
November, three weeks after the ships and cargo sambil menunggu penyidikan penuh.
were seized, Rahmat Nasution Hamka SH, a
young company employee replaced Agustiar as Penyidikan
the Director of BPU.39
Rahmat bizarrely emerged as the main EIA/Telapak telah mempelajari dengan teliti
target for the police investigations even though berbagai dokumentasi yang terkait dengan
he was not a director of the company at the kasus tiga kapal. Penyidikan itu menunjukkan
time of the seizure. Agustiar, Rasyid’s nephew keterlibatan Tanjung Lingga dan kerabat
and director of BPU at the time, was left out of Rasyid dalam upaya (walaupun gagal)
the investigation.40 menyelundupkan kayu bernilai sedikitnya 4
Documents reveal that PT Lingga juta dolar AS dengan menggunakan ketiga
Marintama, part of the Tanjung Lingga Group, kapal tersebut.
was deeply involved in facilitating the collection Sejak Januari 2000, ketika sejumlah
of the illegal logs. These documents include anggota keluarga dan kaki tangannya
letters to various Indonesian authorities giving menganiaya dan menculik dua aktivis Telapak
notice that the three ships would be arriving into dan EIA, Abdul Rasyid sangat berhati-hati
Pangkalanbun and requesting clearance.41 menjaga agar namanya tidak lagi tercantum
Confirmation of the role played by Lingga dalam daftar perusahaan atau tampak terlibat Rahmat
secara pribadi dalam illegal logging di Tanjung
Marintama comes from statements given by the
Puting. Kini ia menggunakan pengaruh
bizarrely
captains of the tugboats used to transport the
logs to the loading site. They stated that they politiknya, juga dalam kasus ini, untuk emerged as
had carried the timber from a log pond menggagalkan penyidikan dan memastikan
pembebasan ketiga kapal itu.
the police
belonging to BPU and had done so under orders
from Negum Eldin, a resident of Pangkalanbun. Menurut sumber-sumber yang dekat dalam target even
Eldin is the head of a sub division of Lingga penyidikan dan dokumen-dokumen yang dilihat
Marintama and did not have the legally required oleh EIA/Telapak, kayu-kayu ilegal tersebut though he
documents to transport the timber.42 dimiliki oleh perusahaan Bintang Perkasa Utama was not a
In addition the captain of the Rong Cheng (BPU). Pada waktu proses pemuatan kayu
said that during the loading of timber his vessel tersebut, yang menjabat sebagai “komisaris director at
utama“ atau direktur BPU adalah Agustiar, salah
was boarded by a man claming to be the
seorang keponakan Abdul Rasyid.38 Dokumen-
the time of
director of the company PT Tanjung Menthobi
owned by Abdul Rasyid’s brother, Ruslan.43 dokumen dari Nanjing Ocean Shipping, pemilik the seizure
21
The Untouchable Tanjung Lingga

Right: Logs unloaded

from the Fonwa Star.

The initial police investigation concluded MV Fonwa Star, menyebutkan kontrak kapal
that there was sufficient evidence to carry out untuk memuat dan mengangkut kayu. Dalam
a prosecution for the transportation of timber kontrak itu dicantumkan nama Agustiar sebagai
without an SKSHH against Eldin of Lingga General Director Tanjung Lingga dan
Marintama.44 The police also concluded that perusahaan itu sebagai pihak pengirim barang.
there was enough evidence to prove Rahmat Namun, pada tanggal 30 November, tiga minggu
NH did commit a criminal act by possessing setelah ketiga kapal dan muatannya ditahan,
timber for transport without the required Rahmat Nasution Hamka SH, seorang pegawai
SKSHH.45 They recommended that the case muda di perusahaan itu menggantikan posisi
be returned to Pangkalanbun. The police, Agustiar sebagai Direktur BPU.39
represented by Brigadier General Suyitno, Rahmat, anehnya menjadi sasaran utama
argued that the ships could not be classified penyidikan polisi walaupun ia tidak menjabat
as “transport means” because they were only sebagai direktur perusahaan pada saat
loading. This is despite ample documentation penangkapan terjadi. Agustiar, keponakan
Brig. Gen. stating their destination as China.46 Rasyid dan direktur BPU pada saat kejadian,
Suyitno justru lolos dari penyidikan.40
Violence and Intimidation Berbagai dokumen mengungkapkan bahwa
argued PT Lingga Marintama, bagian dari Tanjung
The response from those involved in the failed Lingga Group, sangat jauh terlibat dalam
that the smuggling attempt was swift and violent. A few memfasilitasi pengumpulan kayu ilegal.
ships could weeks after the seizure, while police and
forestry officials were continuing with their
Dokumen-dokumen tersebut antara lain surat-
surat ditujukan kepada pihak berwenang
not be investigations, Abi Kusno, the journalist who Indonesia yang isinya memberitahukan bahwa
classified as had alerted the Ministry of Forestry to the
ships, was viciously attacked with his editor on
ketiga kapal tersebut akan tiba di
Pangkalanbun dan memerlukan ijin keluar.41
“ transport the streets of Pangkalanbun. He was taken to Konfirmasi tentang peranan Lingga Marintama
the hospital and was later believed to be dead, berasal dari pernyataan-pernyataan yang
means ” but by moving his toes alerted a nurse that he diberikan oleh kapten kapal tunda yang
because was clinging to life. 47
digunakan untuk mengangkut kayu ke lokasi
Over the next ten days an orchestrated pemuatan. Mereka menyatakan bahwa kayu-
they were campaign to bring the case of the three ships kayu tersebut dibawa dari log pond milik BPU
back to courts in Pangkalanbun was in full
only swing. From paid-for street demonstrations to
dan pekerjaan tersebut dilakukan dibawah
perintah Negum Eldin, penduduk Pangkalanbun.
loading support from the Regional House of Eldin adalah kepala sub-divisi Lingga

22
 The Untouchable Tanjung Lingga

Left: Fixture note

confirms destination
of logs was China.

Representatives (DPRD) of West Kotawaringin, Marintama dan tidak memiliki surat resmi yang
appeals were made to the Forestry Minister in dipersyaratkan untuk mengangkut kayu.42
Jakarta and Committee III of the House of Selain itu, kapten Rong Cheng menyatakan
Representatives (DPR) to bring the case back to bahwa pada waktu memuat kayu seseorang
the local judiciary and into the clutches of those naik ke atas kapalnya. Orang tersebut mengaku
close to Tanjung Lingga.48 sebagai direktur PT Tanjung Menthobi, milik
The campaign concluded when nine Ruslan, saudara laki-laki Abdul Rasyid.43
members of the West Kotawaringin House Investigasi polisi pada awalnya
together with some members of the Central menyimpulkan ada bukti yang cukup untuk
Kalimantan timber community met with the menuntut Eldin dari Lingga Marintama atas
head of Indonesia’s national police force in tuduhan pengangkutan kayu tanpa SKSHH.44
Jakarta. It was reported that according to those Polisi juga menyimpulkan bahwa fakta yang
at that meeting a verbal agreement was given ada cukup untuk membuktikan bahwa Rahmat
by the police chief to send the case back to NH memang melakukan tindak kriminal
Pangkalanbun.49 dengan memiliki kayu untuk diangkut tanpa
On 13th May 2002, in an inter-agency SKSHH yang dipersyaratkan.45 Polisi Parliament
meeting that EIA/Telapak attended in Jakarta, merekomendasikan kasus tersebut untuk (DPR)
the police put forward their case to offload and dikembalikan ke Pangkalanbun. Brigjen
auction the timber, release the ships and send Suyitno atas nama polisi berkilah bahwa Comm 3
the case to Pangkalanbun. They stated that kapal-kapal tersebut tidak dapat digolongkan
there was no case to answer as the vessels had sebagai “alat angkut“ karena kapal-kapal
lobbied for
not actually sailed, but acknowledged that a tersebut hanya sedang memuat ketika the case to
criminal case could be brought forward on the tertangkap. Hal ini bertentangan dengan
owner of the logs, Rahmat Nasution Hamka banyaknya dokumen yang menyatakan tujuan be sent to
SH. There was concern that in his defence he kapal-kapal tersebut adalah Cina.46 Abdul
would use the fact that he was only made
director of the company on November 30th Kekerasan dan Intimidasi Rasyid’s
2001, three weeks after the ships had been stronghold
Tanggapan mereka yang terlibat dalam upaya
seized. It was clear that the police were finding
penyelundupan yang gagal ini cukup cepat dan
a way out of having to take the case to the
keras. Beberapa minggu setelah penangkapan,
in Central
Jakarta court, allow for the off-loading of the
selagi polisi dan petugas kehutanan melanjutkan Kalimantan
23
 The Untouchable Tanjung Lingga

penyidikan mereka, Abi Kusno, wartawan yang

melaporkankeberadaan kapal-kapal tersebut
kepada Departemen Kehutanan, bersama dengan
editornya diserang secara keji di jalanan di
Pangkalanbun. Ia dibawa ke rumah sakit dan
dianggap tewas. Hanya dengan menggerak-
gerakkan jari kakinya ia menyadarkan seorang
perawat bahwa sebenarnya ia belum meninggal.47
Selama sepuluh hari berikutnya upaya untuk
membawa kasus ketiga kapal tersebut kembali
ke Pangkalanbun berlangsung gencar. Para
demonstran bayaran yang mendukung DPRD
Arbi Valentinus / Telapak/ EIA

Kotawaringin Barat menuntut Departemen

Kehutanan di Jakarta dan Komisi III DPR agar
mengembalikan kasus tersebut ke peradilan
lokal dan kembali ke cengkeraman pihak yang
dekat dengan Tanjung Lingga.48
Upaya tersebut berakhir dengan pertemuan
sembilan anggota DPRD Kotawaringin Barat
beserta sejumlah masyarakat perkayuan
The National Police
Kalimantan Tengah dengan Kapolri di Jakarta.
(above) attempts to
Dilaporkan oleh mereka yang hadir dalam
release the ships and
pertemuan tersebut bahwa Kapolri menjanjikan
auction the cargo
secara lisan untuk mengirimkan kembali kasus
were opposed by the
tersebut ke Pangkalanbun.49
Attorney General’s
Pada 13 Mei 2002, dalam acara gelar
Office (right) and the
perkara yang dihadiri oleh EIA/Telapak di
Ministry of Forestry.
Jakarta, polisi mengajukan argumen mereka
untuk membongkar muat dan melelang kayu,
melepaskan kapal-kapal tersebut dan
mengirimkan kasus kembali ke Pangkalanbun.
Mereka menyatakan bahwa kasus tidak berlaku
karena kapal-kapal tersebut tidak sedang
berlayar. Tetapi polisi mengakui bahwa kasus
tersebut dapat diajukan sebagai perkara
kriminal terhadap pemilik kayu, Rahmat
Nasution Hamka SH. Dikuatirkan bahwa
dalam pembelaannya ia akan menggunakan
Arbi Valentinus / Telepak/ EIA

fakta bahwa ia baru diangkat menjadi direktur

pada 30 November 2001, yaitu tiga minggu
setelah ketiga kapal ditangkap. Jelaslah bahwa
polisi berupaya untuk tidak membawa kasus
tersebut ke pengadilan di Jakarta, memberi
kesempatan untuk bongkar muat dan melelang
kayu sesegera mungkin.50 Pemahaman polisi atas
hukum dan tindakan yang akan diambil ini
logs and auction the timber as quickly as ditentang oleh pihak Departemen Kehutanan
possible.50 The police’s interpretation of the law dan kantor Kejaksaan Agung.
and its intended course of action were opposed Surat menyurat yang diperiksa oleh
by both the Ministry of Forestry and the EIA/Telapak menunjukkan bahwa pejabat tinggi
Attorney General’s office. di Mabes Polri secara sengaja bermaksud
Correspondence seen by EIA/Telapak shows menutup kasus terhadap ketiga kapten kapal
how senior officials from the national police dan melelang kayu-kayu ilegal tersebut secepat
deliberately set out to close the case against the mungkin.51
three captains and to auction the illegal logs at Pada 6 Juni 2002, polisi melelang kayu-kayu
the earliest possible opportunity.51 sitaan dari ketiga kapal tersebut yang berakhir
tanpa satupun penawaran. Setelah berhasil

24
 The Untouchable Tanjung Lingga

Left: The case

was finally sent
to Pangkalanbun,
Abdul Rasyid’s
powerbase.

© Dave Currey / EIA / Telapak

On June 6th 2002, an auction conducted by melepaskan ketiga kapal, lalu mengirimkan
the police of the seized timber from the three kembali kasus terhadap mereka yang terlibat
ships took place in Jakarta without a single bid dalam pengapalan ilegal ke Pangkalanbun,
being made. After successfully getting the ships tujuan utama polisi adalah menjual kayu, tapi
released, and the case against those involved in harga penawarannya terlalu tinggi.
the illegal cargo sent back to Pangkalanbun, the Pada 13 Juni 2002, polisi mencoba lagi dan
main objective was to sell the timber, but the kali ini berhasil menjual 25.314 m3 kayu
price was too high. meranti dengan harga murah sekali.
On June 13th the police tried again and this Dibandingkan dengan penilaian pertama dimana
time managed to sell 25,314 m3 of meranti logs kayu sitaan ditaksir bernilai 4 juta dolar AS,
at a vastly reduced price. Despite an initial kayu tersebut akhirnya terjual dengan harga
valuation of US$4 million for the timber when kurang dari 228 ribu dolar AS (9 dolar AS per
it was seized, the logs eventually sold for less kubik meter, dibandingkan dengan harga
than US$228,000 (US$9 per cubic meter, pasaran meranti senilai 160 dolar AS).52
compared with the market value of meranti Hingga hari ini tidak ada tindakan yang
logs of US$160).52 diambil terhadap mereka yang berusaha
To date there has been no prosecution of menyelundupkan kayu dari Indonesia. Upaya
those responsible for attempting to smuggle the Departemen Kehutanan dan Angkatan Laut
logs out of Indonesia. Efforts by the Ministry of untuk membongkar sindikat besar penyelundup
Forestry and the Navy to break a major kayu internasional yang berpusat di Tanjung
international timber smuggling syndicate Lingga telah dirusak oleh kegagalan polisi
centred on Tanjung Lingga have been mengusut tuntas kasus tersebut. Sementara itu
undermined by the failure of the police to tidak seorangpun yang dituntut atau ditindak The timber
conduct a full investigation. Meanwhile no-one atas percobaan pembunuhan Abi Kusno dan
has been charged or prosecuted for the editornya.
barons and
attempted murder of Abi Kusno and his editor. Walaupun kasus ini cukup menimbulkan corrupt
Although this case caused considerable persoalan berarti bagi perusahaan perkapalan,
problems for the shipping companies, timber cukong kayu, polisi dan wakil rakyat, tapi ini officials
barons, police and parliamentarians, it was hanyalah masalah dalam bentuk kerugian remain free
only in the form of financial loss, loss of face keuangan, kehilangan muka dan kerepotan
and inconvenience. The timber barons and belaka. Raja kayu dan petugas yang korup to pursue
corrupt officials remain free to pursue their masih bebas menjalankan aktivitas ilegal mereka
illegal activities protected and cosseted by a yang dilindungi dan dimanjakan oleh sistem
their illegal
legal system which is rotten to the core. peradilan yang busuk sampai ke akar-akarnya. activities.

25
The Untouchable Tanjung Lingga

Trying to Kill the Messenger Mencoba Membunuh Pembawa Pesan

Pangkalanbun is a small port and most of the large vessels that anchor off its coast Pangkalanbun adalah pelabuhan kecil dan sebagian
are there to load and export timber, most of which is illegally sourced. Certainly, besar kapal besar berlabuh di sana untuk
with Tanjung Puting National Park situated beside the rivers that lead to where mengangkut dan mengekspor kayu, kebanyakan
ships anchor, vast amounts of ramin, meranti and other timber plundered from the diantaranya berasal dari sumber ilegal. Jelaslah,
park, have been exported to international markets. With four cargo vessels keberadaan Taman Nasional Tanjung Puting yang
anchored off Pangkalanbun, local residents could not miss the activity taking place tepat di pinggir sungai yang bermuara ke tempat
in early November 2001. kapal-kapal berlabuh, membuat banyak ramin,
meranti dan kayu-kayu jarahan dari Taman
H. Abi Kusno Nachran a journalist with the central Java tabloid newspaper Lintas
Nasional, telah diekspor ke pasar internasional.
Khatulistiwa took a special interest in the activities surrounding the ships. His
Sudah tentu aktivitas empat kapal barang yang
knowledge of illegal logging and transport from the region plus its local politics gave
berlabuh di Pangkalanbun di awal November tidak
him a context in which to conduct an investigation into those behind the smuggling
akan luput dari pengamatan penduduk lokal.
of timber into overseas markets. Information from his investigation was provided to
forestry officials in Jakarta, including the loading of the four ships.53 Abi Kusno Nachran, wartawan koran Jawa Tengah
Lintas Khatulistiwa menaruh perhatian khusus pada
Previous investigations by Abi Kusno had turned up strong links between illicit
aktivitas di sekitar kapal-kapal itu. Pengetahuannya
timber trafficking in the area and the Tanjung Lingga Group set up by Abdul Rasyid.
tentang illegal logging dan pengangkutan kayu
He was already becoming a thorn in the side of this group and in September, two
ilegal dari daerah itu ditambah pengetahuan
months before the arrival of the four ships, says he had received death threats.54
mengenai politik lokalnya memberi konteks untuk
Abi Kusno paid a very high price for his work, almost paying with his life. melakukan investigasi terhadap mereka yang
Returning to Pangkalanbun from a trip to Jakarta on 28th November, he was berada dibalik penyelundupan kayu ke pasar luar
attacked with spears, machetes and hydrochloric acid. His editor who had picked negeri. Informasi yang didapat dari penyidikan itu
him up from the airport had his stomach ripped open with a long knife.55 lalu disampaikan kepada petugas kehutanan di
Jakarta, termasuk tentang aktivitas pemuatan
Both victims survived the attack but Abi Kusno paid a high price – he lost four
keempat kapal.53
fingers from his left hand and a bone in his right hand was broken off. His back
was slashed 17 times and needed 209 stitches and he had one ear sliced off. Investigasi yang dilakukan Abi Kusno sebelumnya
During emergency surgery he needed 27 bags of blood in the course of a seven- telah mengungkapkan adanya hubungan yang erat
hour operation that saved his life.56 He is convinced that this attack was as a direct antara perdagangan kayu ilegal dan Tanjung Lingga
result of his role in exposing the planned timber smuggling operation.57 Group yang didirikan oleh Abdul Rasyid. Atas
To date one person has been arrested but no one has been charged for the penyidikannya tersebut sang wartawan sudah
attempted murder of Abi Kusno and his editor. Abdul Rasyid and his family have not menjadi duri bagi kelompok bisnis ini dan pada
been investigated. bulan September, yaitu dua bulan sebelum
kedatangan keempat kapal itu, ia telah menerima
ancaman pembunuhan.54
Right: Abi Kusno Abi Kusno membayar mahal untuk hasil kerjanya,
suffered horrendous bahkan nyaris kehilangan nyawa. Sepulangnya ke
permanent injuries. Pangkalanbun dari Jakarta pada 28 November
2001, ia diserang dengan tombak, mandau dan
Opposite page:
larutan asam. Editornya yang datang menjemput
The Rong Cheng dari bandara juga diserang dengan pisau hingga
moored in Surabaya perutnya sobek.55
after its release.
Kedua korban selamat, tetapi Abi Kusno harus
membayar mahal - empat jari tangan kirinya putus
dan tulang di tangan kanannya patah. Punggungnya
dibacok 17 kali dan perlu 209 jahitan serta salah
satu telinganya ditebas. Selama operasi darurat ia
memerlukan 27 kantung darah dalam operasi yang
berlangsung selama 7 jam yang akhirnya mampu
menyelamatkan nyawanya.56 Ia yakin serangan itu
ada hubungan dengan peranannya mengungkapkan
operasi penyelundupan kayu yang direncanakan.57
Wana Cipta Lestari 2001

Hingga hari ini hanya satu orang yang ditahan,

tetapi tidak seorangpun dikenai hukuman atas
percobaan pembunuhan terhadap Abi Kusno dan
editornya. Abdul Rasyid dan keluarganya tidak
pernah disidik sama sekali.

26
 The Untouchable Tanjung Lingga

Murky Waters Air Keruh

On the 5th October 2001 a contract was signed between Cosco Xiamen Pada 5 Oktober 2001 sebuah kontrak
and BAL shipping (HK) Co Ltd for the loading and delivery of 11,500 m3 ditandatangani antara Cosco Xiamen dan BAL
of timber onto the MV Rong Cheng from Pangkalanbun.58 Following this shipping (HK) Co Ltd untuk memuat dan
notification Lingga Marintama, which is part of the Tanjung Lingga group mengangkut 11.500 m3 kayu ke kapal MV
owned by Abdul Rasyid and his family, sent a letter of notification to the Rong Cheng dari Pangkalanbun.58 Setelah
Port authority in Pangkalanbun of the arrival of the MV Rong Cheng on pemberitahuan ini Lingga Marintama, yang
November 5th 2001. merupakan bagian dari Tanjung Lingga Group
milik Abdul Rasyid dan keluarganya, mengirim
One hour after the ship reached the loading site, the captain of the MV
surat pemberitahuan kepada pihak yang
Rong Cheng was visited on board by two Indonesians, Mr. Aming and
berwenang di Pelabuhan di Pangkalanbun
Mr.Abun, who claimed to be working for the charterers.59 A third
mengenai kedatangan kapal MV Rong Cheng
Indonesian Mr.Ujang demanded various ship certification documents.
pada 5 November 2001.
The captain asked for identification but was only given Mr.Ujang’s mobile
phone number.60 In order for the vessel to prepare for loading the captain Satu jam setelah kapal tiba di lokasi muat,
requested that the agents present a loading list of the cargo. He was told kapten kapal MV Rong Cheng didatangi di atas
that all relevant documents for the cargo would be sent the following kapal oleh dua pria Indonesia, Bapak Aming
day. Those documents never arrived despite the captain’s attempt to get dan Bapak Abun, keduanya mengaku bekerja
them. The next day he went to the agent’s office and was told by untuk pihak penyewa.59 Pria Indonesia ketiga,
Mr.Ujang he did not have them but would bring them to the ship as soon Bapak Ujang, minta diperlihatkan berbagai
as he received them.61 dokumen sertifikasi kapal. Ketika kapten
menanyakan tanda pengenal diri, yang
On the 9th November someone identifying himself as the owner of PT
diberikan hanyalah nomor telpon genggam
Tanjung Menthobi boarded the MV Rong Cheng and asked to inspect the
Bapak Ujang.60 Untuk mempersiapkan kapal
loading procedures of the vessel. PT Tanjung Menthobi is owned by
bagi pemuatan barang kapten meminta agen
Abdul Rasyid’s brother, Ruslan.62
untuk menyerahkan daftar muatan kapal.
Again, the captain asked for the cargo documents but was told that he Dikatakan bahwa semua dokumen yang terkait
did not have them. untuk pengangkutan akan dikirimkan keesokan
harinya. Semua dokumen tersebut tidak pernah
During the period 7-9 November 2001, the Captain of the Rong Cheng diterima walaupun sudah diminta oleh kapten
stopped loading the timber and again requested cargo documents. He never kapal. Keesokan harinya ia pergi ke kantor
received them. As a result of the slowing down of loading there was only agen dan dikatakan oleh Bapak Ujang bahwa ia
4,000 m3 of timber on board the MV Rong Cheng instead of the contracted tidak memiliki dokumen-dokumen kargo
11,500 m3 when the Indonesian Navy boarded and seized the vessel. tersebut. Tapi dijanjikan begitu dokumen tiba
akan segera diserahkan kepada kapten kapal.61

Pada 9 November seseorang yang mengaku

sebagai pemilik PT Tanjung Menthobi naik ke
atas kapal MV Rong Cheng dan bermaksud
untuk memeriksa prosedur pemuatan di kapal.
PT Tanjung Menthobi dimiliki oleh Ruslan,
saudara lelaki Abdul Rasyid.62

Sekali lagi, kapten kapal menanyakan dokumen

pengapalan tetapi Ruslan mengaku tidak
memiliki.

Diantara tanggal 7-9 November 2001, Kapten

Rong Cheng menghentikan pemuatan kayu dan
sekali lagi meminta dokumen kargo. Ia tidak
pernah menerima dokumen tersebut. Karena
pemuatan sempat terhenti, hanya 4.000 m3
kayu yang terdapat di kapal MV Rong Cheng
bukannya 11.500 m3 seperti dinyatakan
dikontrak, ketika kapal tertangkap basah oleh
TNI AL.

27
© EIA / Telapak
The Plight of Tanjung Puting

Above: Tanjung Puting

National Park is a
The Plight of Tanjung Penderitaan Tanjung
jewel in Indonesia’s Puting Puting
biodiversity crown.
The continuing wilful destruction of Tanjung Perusakan TNTP dengan sengaja yang terus
Puting National Park is a direct consequence of berlangsung merupakan akibat langsung dari
the corrupt politics of Central Kalimantan and politik Kalimantan Tengah yang korup dan
the pernicious influence of Abdul Rasyid’s pengaruh buruk Tanjung Lingga milik Abdul
Tanjung Lingga. In such a climate of Rasyid. Dalam iklim yang cacat tanpa hukum,
dysfunctional lawlessness the environment and lingkungan hidup dan aspirasi keadilan berada
aspirations of justice are being irrevocably dalam proses kehancuran.
damaged. Informasi mengenai illegal logging di
Information regarding the illegal logging of Tanjung Puting telah disodorkan kepada
Tanjung Puting has been made available to the Pemerintah Indonesia dan donor internasional
Government of Indonesia and the international untuk Indonesia sejak bulan Agustus 1999
donors to Indonesia since August 1999 when ketika EIA dan Telapak menerbitkan laporan
EIA and Telapak first published their report pertama “The Final Cut”. Laporan itu
“The Final Cut”. This was updated in 2000 and diperbarui pada tahun 2000 dan informasi
Right: new information was provided to the baru diberikan kepada CGI pada tahun 2001.
(opposite page) Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI) in 2001. Briefing pribadi secara teratur dan
Map and photographs Regular personal briefings and co-operation kerjasama antara departemen pemerintah dan
supplied to the between parts of the government and NGOs Ornop mendorong kegiatan musiman untuk
government in 2001. have resulted in the occasional flurry of activity menyingkirkan penebang ilegal dari Taman
The infrastructure to remove illegal loggers from the Park, most Nasional. Operasi ini biasanya terjadi sebelum
and timber bosses notably prior to CGI meetings. However, these pertemuan-pertemuan CGI. Akan tetapi operasi
remain today. brief bursts of enforcement have all been short- penegakan hukum yang mendadak ini

28
The Plight of Tanjung Puting

29
The Plight of Tanjung Puting

The lived. The loggers have always returned to the umumnya hanya berlangsung singkat. Para
Park and the destruction continues today. Vast penebang selalu kembali ke Taman Nasional
government tracts of the Park have been affected and a dan perusakan hutan terus berlangsung sampai
has utterly commercial infrastructure of log rails, logging hari ini. Bagian Taman Nasional yang dirusak
camps, roads, canals, and log ponds has sudah sangat luas dan prasarana komersial
failed the developed across most of the Park. The seperti rel-rel kayu, kamp logging, jalan, kanal
situation is worse today than it was in 1999. dan kolam untuk menampung kayu bulat telah
test to Tanjung Puting has been accepted as a test dibangun di seluruh penjuru Taman Nasional.
reduce the case for the government in its fight against Dibandingkan tahun 1999 situasi hari ini di
illegal logging, especially in National Parks. Tanjung Puting jauh lebih buruk.
logging To date the government has utterly failed the Tanjung Puting telah diangkat sebagai batu
and test to reduce the logging or prosecute the ujian bagi pemerintah dalam memerangi ilegal
timber mafia, including Abdul Rasyid, behind logging, terutama di Taman-taman Nasional.
prosecute the destruction of this jewel in Indonesia’s Hingga hari ini pemerintah telah gagal total
biodiversity crown. dalam ujian untuk mengurangi penebangan
the timber There is increasing evidence of local unrest atau menghukum para mafia kayu, termasuk
mafia. as local residents feel that when any Abdul Rasyid, yang berada dibalik kerusakan
enforcement action takes place, it concentrates mahligai keanekaragaman hayati Indonesia.
on the loggers and not the timber bosses.63 Semakin banyak bukti adanya keresahan
This has been a central message of EIA and diantara masyarakat setempat yang merasa
Telapak’s recommendations for the last three ketika operasi penegakan hukum dilakukan
years – logging will only stop when the corrupt hanya penebang yang menjadi sasaran,
political and business elite profiting from the sementara para cukong kayu lolos dari
logging is seriously tackled and those operasi.63 Hal ini sudah menjadi pesan utama
responsible are prosecuted. dari rekomendasi EIA dan Telapak selama tiga
Recent reports from the Park show that tahun belakangan ini, yaitu penebangan hanya
there has been little attempt to destroy the akan berhenti jika elit politik dan pelaku bisnis
logging infrastructure or tackle the loggers yang korup dan memetik keuntungan darinya
despite an enforcement operation involving 70 ditangani secara serius dan mereka yang

Right: Log rail running

through Tanjung
Puting National Park,
August 2002.
© Anna Fook/The Orangutan Foundation

30
 The Plight of Tanjung Puting

Left: Orangutans face

extinction.

© EIA
policemen in September 2002.64 EIA and bertanggung jawab dihukum.
Telapak provided the government with a Laporan terbaru dari Tanjung Puting
detailed map outlining locations of the logging menunjukkan sedikit sekali upaya untuk
infrastructure and the names of the timber menghancurkan prasarana logging atau upaya
bosses working in the east of the Park at the mengatasi penebang walaupun sudah
end of 2001.65 This infrastructure is still in diadakan operasi penegakan hukum yang
place and the loggers have expanded the area in melibatkan 70 polisi pada bulan September
which they are working.66 2002.64 EIA dan Telapak menyodorkan sebuah
For a while it appeared as if logging had peta rinci kepada pemerintah menggambarkan
been reduced in the north of the Park where garis besar lokasi prasarana logging serta
log rafts had previously been seen day and daftar nama cukong kayu yang terlibat dalam
night on the Sekonyer River. This area is easily penebangan di bagian timur Taman Nasional
accessible and frequented by tourists visiting pada akhir 2001.65 Prasarana tersebut masih
the Park to see the wildlife, especially the tetap ada di sana dan para penebang semakin
orangutans. Yet recent reports, including one memperluas wilayah jarahan mereka.66
from local parliamentarians who saw a 200 Untuk sementara waktu tampaknya
metre log raft on the Sekonyer River with penebangan telah berkurang di bagian utara
around 100 cubic metres of ramin and nyatoh Taman Nasional. Dahulu, siang-malam rakit
logs67 suggests even this area continues to be kayu bulat sibuk menghilir di Sungai
destroyed. The fruit of the nyatoh tree is an Sekonyer. Daerah ini mudah dicapai dan
important food resource for orangutans.68 sering dikunjungi wisatawan yang berkunjung
The Buluh Kecil River is reported to have ke Taman Nasional untuk melihat satwa liar,
many logging camps along its banks and an terutama orangutan. Namun laporan terakhir, Log rails
infrastructure of log rails penetrating the forest termasuk diantaranya dari salah seorang have now
interior. These rails and logging camps stretch anggota DPRD setempat, melaporkan adanya
many kilometres into the forest and canals have rakit kayu gelondongan sepanjang 200 meter entered
been dug to float the logs to the river. Recent menghilir di Sungai Sekonyer yang memuat
sekitar 100 meter kubik ramin dan kayu
the world-
reports confirm that these rails have now
entered the world-renowned orangutan research nyatoh.67 Pengamatan tersebut menandakan renowned
area established by Professor Birute Galdikas bahwa daerah itu masih terus dirusak. Buah
thirty one years ago. The loggers, who come pohon nyatoh merupakan sumber makanan orangutan
from all over Indonesia as well as from the yang penting bagi orangutan.68 research

31
 The Plight of Tanjung Puting

Di sepanjang tepi sungai Buluh Kecil

dilaporkan banyak terdapat kamp logging dan
prasarana rel-rel kayu yang merambah sampai
ke tengah hutan. Rel-rel dan kamp tersebut
membentang hingga berkilo-kilo meter masuk
ke dalam hutan. Kanal digali untuk
mengalirkan kayu-kayu bulat ke sungai.
Laporan terakhir menyebutkan rel-rel tersebut
kini telah memasuki wilayah penelitian
orangutan yang terkenal di dunia, yang
dibangun oleh Profesor Birute Galdikas
tigapuluh satu tahun yang lalu. Selain dari
Kumai, kota setempat, para penebang berasal
dari berbagai daerah di Indonesia. Mereka
juga berburu dan mengambil kulit kayu,
tindakan yang semakin memperparah
kerusakan ekosistem yang rentan tersebut.69
Laporan terakhir juga menyatakan saat ini
terjadi kebakaran hutan di sepanjang sungai
Buluh Kecil.70
Dalam suatu wawancara baru-baru ini,
kepala Taman Nasional Tanjung Puting
Lusman Pasaribu berkomentar tentang situasi
berbahaya yang dihadapi petugas TNTP
© Kirsten Tuson / The Orangutan Foundation

dalam melindungi kawasan yang berharga ini:

“Staf kami sering diancam dan dipukuli oleh
anggota masyarakat. Kami juga mengalami
intimidasi dan bahkan kantor kami dirusak,
hal itu masih berlangsung hingga sekarang.“
“Bulan Mei yang lalu saya mengalami aksi
masyarakat yang menurut pandangan saya
sangat anarkis. Masyarakat menghancurkan
sebuah palang jalan yang dibangun
pemerintah untuk menghalangi jalur kayu
keluar dari hutan dan mereka membakar
sebuah pos penjagaan yang dibangun
Above: Log raft in local town of Kumai, are also hunting and pemerintah.”71
Tanjung Puting, stripping trees of bark causing further untold Pada musim kemarau terkadang sulit untuk
August 2002. damage to this fragile ecosystem.69 Recent mengangkut kayu keluar dari Taman Nasional.
reports state that there are now fires burning Pada awal September dilaporkan sebuah rakit
along the Buluh Kecil River.70 kayu yang memuat 2000 potong meranti
In a recent interview, the head of Tanjung campuran, diduga milik PT Sungai Bulan
Puting National Park Lusman Pasaribu talked Kencana, tersangkut di desa Benua Usang.72
about how dangerous the situation is for park Beberapa penebang dilaporkan telah
officials in protecting this valuable area: “Our ditahan di Pembuang Hulu, di sungai
staff are often threatened and are often beaten Seruyan di sebelah timur Taman Nasional.
by community members. We have experienced Tetapi, mereka marah dan jengkel karena
intimidation and even damage of our office and melihat para cukong kayu tetap dapat bebas
has still been happening until now. menjalankan aksi sementara merekalah yang
“Last May, I experienced actions of the menanggung akibat aksi penegakan hukum
community which, in my view, were extremely yang sporadik itu. Atas nama para penebang
anarchic. The community destroyed a yang ditangkap, seorang penduduk setempat
roadblock built by the government to obstruct menulis surat protes atas penahanan tersebut
a timber route out of the forest and burnt down kepada Bupati Abdul Razak, bunyinya:
a post also built by the government.”71 “Cukong dengan banyak uang dan peralatan
In the dry season it is sometimes difficult to berat melakukan hal yang sama di Taman
transport the logs out of the Park. In early Nasional Tanjung Puting, tapi sejauh ini

32
 The Plight of Tanjung Puting

Left: Illegal logs in

Tanjung Puting,
August 2002.
© Anna Fook/ The Orangutan Foundation

Below: Loggers
working in Tanjung
Puting National Park.

polisi tidak mengambil tindakan apa-apa

terhadap mereka”.73 Penduduk setempat
menyebut PT Wanasawit Subur Lestari
sebagai perusahaan yang berkiprah di
kawasan tersebut.
Wakil ketua DPRD Kalimantan Tengah
pernah mengatakan bahwa kegiatan illegal
logging dilindungi oleh tokoh politik yang
korup di kantor pemerintahan setempat.74 Ia
tidak mau menyebutkan nama para tokoh
politik tersebut. Sementara itu faksi Partai
Bulan Bintang (PBB) di DPRD Kabupaten
Kotawaringin Barat telah menjanjikan
penegakan hukum di TNTP. Komisi-komisi di
DPRD mengunjungi dan melihat kawasan
yang rusak di dalam TNTP antara Sungai
Sekonyer dan Sungai Buluh serta menghitung
adanya lebih dari 40 pondok dengan 400
pekerja tinggal di sana.75
Laporan selanjutnya menyebutkan rakit-
rakit kayu bulat berisi 300 potong kayu
ditarik oleh dua kapal kecil menghilir Sungai
Buluh Besar pada tanggal 6 September.
Sebuah gerbang dan gardu penjaga yang
dibangun di mulut sungai tahun lalu untuk
menunjukkan adanya aktivitas penegakan
hukum tidak pernah tampak dijaga setidaknya
© EIA / Telapak

dalam 3 bulan terakhir dan sudah rusak.76

Menanggapi laporan tersebut Bupati
Abdul Razak menyatakan: “Kita akan tindak

33
The Plight of Tanjung Puting

Right: Proboscis September it was reported that a 2000 piece

monkey, one of nine mixed meranti log raft, alleged to be owned
primates found in by PT Sungai Bulan Kencana, was stuck in the
Tanjung Puting. village of Benua Usang.72
Some loggers have reportedly been arrested
in Pembuang Hulu, on the Seruyan river to the
east of the Park, but these people are angry
and frustrated because they see the timber
bosses continuing their activities unimpeded
while they bear the brunt of sporadic
enforcement actions. A local resident has
written on their behalf to the local governor
(bupati) Abdul Razak complaining about their
arrest stating: “There are big businessmen
with a lot of money and heavy equipment
doing the same thing in Tanjung Puting
National Park, but so far the police haven’t
taken any action against them”.73 These local
residents named PT Wanasawit Subur Lestari
as a company working in the area.
The shadow leader of the Central
Kalimantan Provincial parliament (DPRD) has
said that the illegal logging activities are
backed by corrupt politicians in the local
government office.74 He declined to name the
politicians. Meanwhile the Partai Bulan
Bintang (PBB) political party faction from the
DPRD in West Kotawaringin has made a plea
for enforcement in the Park. Commissions
from the local parliament observed damaged
areas of the Park between the Sekonyer River
and the Buluh River and counted more than
40 huts with 400 workers living there.75
There are further reports of log rafts being
“ Law towed down the Buluh Besar River with 300

© Dave Currey
pieces recorded being pulled by two small
enforcement boats on 6th September. A gate and guard
post built at the mouth of the river last year
needs to be as a show of enforcement activity has not
carried out been manned for at least three months and
appears broken.76 tegas, siapapun orangnya. Penegakan
to save The bupati Abdul Razak has responded to supremasi hukum perlu dilakukan demi
Tanjung these reports by saying: “We’ll take strong menyelamatkan TNTP sebagai aset daerah,
action on whoever destroys Tanjung Puting nasional bahkan internasional.” Ia
Puting as National Park. Law enforcement needs to be menyatakan bahwa ia akan meminta bantuan
carried out to save Tanjung Puting as a local, pemerintah pusat jika stafnya tidak mampu
a local, national and international asset.” He concedes mengatasi masalah. Dalam laporan yang sama
national that he will ask central government for help if seorang penduduk setempat protes bahwa
his staff cannot handle the problem. In the masyarakat setempat hanya dijadikan
and same report a local resident complained that kambing hitam belaka “sementara, ada
international local people are used as scapegoats and that oknum yang mengambil keuntungan dari
“there is a person who profits and the TNTP tak pernah ditindak”.77 Terlepas dari
asset.” authorities take no action against him.”77 semua kata-kata dan janji untuk bertindak
Abdul Razak, Bupati, Despite all the words and promises of action it ini, semuanya berjalan seperti biasa di
September 2002 is business as usual in Tanjung Puting. Tanjung Puting.

34
 Conclusions and Recommendations

Conclusions: Recommendations:
• The serious problem of illegal logging has To the Government of Indonesia:
spiralled further out of control over the last
year with National Parks and protected • President Megawati Soekarnoputri must
areas being logged faster than ever before. instruct her office to give full support to the
Minister of Forestry to tackle illegal logging.
• Tanjung Puting National Park, as a test case
This must include immediate suspension and
for the Government of Indonesia (GOI) to
independent investigation of any
tackle illegal logging, remains extremely
enforcement officers suspected of aiding and
valid. The GOI continues to fail this test.
abetting illegal activities.
• The GOI has failed to crack down on illegal
• The President must remove Abdul Rasyid’s
logging largely due to endemic corruption in
parliamentarian immunity from prosecution
the enforcement and judicial authorities.
and appoint an independent team of
• Efforts by the Ministry of Forestry to seize investigators, prosecutors and judges to
illegal shipments of logs have been investigate and audit Rasyid and his family’s
supported by the Indonesian Navy but business activities, tax declarations, and
thwarted by senior police officials. suspected involvement in processing and
shipping illegal timber, kidnap and
• Since EIA and Telapak’s first report (The
attempted murder.
Final Cut, 1999) on logging of Tanjung
Puting National Park and the timber baron • There must be a full investigation into the
Abdul Rasyid, Rasyid has greatly increased role of the national Police in the case of the
his power in Central Kalimantan and three cargo ships arrested by the Navy in
extended his corrupt influence to other November 2001.
parts of Indonesia including Jakarta.
• A national independent forest crimes unit
• The Minister of Forestry, Dr Muhammad must be formed from selected honest
Prakosa has supported senior reformist investigators, prosecutors and judges and
officials and taken some courageous empowered to legalled process the most
decisions despite enormous pressure used serious cases of forest crime.
against him.
• Until a transparent and trustworthy system
• Reformist Ministry of Forestry officials, in is developed, seized timber should be
the absence of a just judicial process, have routinely destroyed to prevent any
succeeded in causing serious financial harm opportunity for profit from an illegal
to shipping companies caught up in the activity.
transportation of illegal logs.
• The business activities of the military must
• International moves by the GOI have started be made transparent and accountable.
a process of agreement between consuming
countries and Indonesia to tackle illegal To the international community:
logging and the markets for illegal timber
and timber products. • When considering loans and support to the
GOI, decisions should be partly based on
whether the GOI is seriously tackling reform
of the enforcement and judicial system
relating to forestry.
• Financial and technical support must be
provided to the GOI to tackle judicial
reform as well as to develop mechanisms to
determine and track legal timber from the
forest to the consumer.
• Timber consuming countries must enact new
legislation to prevent the import of illegally
sourced timber and timber products.

35
Kesimpulan/ Rekomendasi

Kesimpulan: Rekomendasi:
• Masalah illegal logging yang serius telah Kepada Pemerintah Indonesia:
berkembang tanpa kendali selama setahun
belakangan.Taman-taman Nasional dan • Presiden Megawati harus menginstruksikan
kawasan lindung telah dijarah dengan pemerintahnya untuk memberikan dukungan
kecepatan lebih daripada sebelumnya. penuh kepada Departemen Kehutanan
dalam menanggulangi illegal logging.
• Taman Nasional Tanjung Puting, masih
Dukungan tersebut harus mencakup
tetap merupakan batu ujian bagi pemerintah
penahanan segera dan penyidikan
Indonesia dalam mengatasi illegal logging.
independen terhadap setiap petugas penegak
Pemerintah Indonesia terus menunjukkan
hukum yang diduga telah membantu dan
kegagalannya dalam ujian ini.
bersekongkol dengan kegiatan ilegal.
• Pemerintah Indonesia telah gagal
• Presiden harus menghapuskan kekebalan
menghentikan illegal logging terutama
anggota MPR Abdul Rasyid dari hukuman
akibat korupsi yang telah mengakar
dan menunjuk tim independen yang terdiri
diantara petugas penegak hukum dan
dari penyidik, jaksa dan hakim untuk
peradilan.
menyidik dan memeriksa kegiatan bisnis
• Berbagai upaya Departemen Kehutanan Rasyid dan keluarganya, laporan pajak
didukung oleh TNI AL untuk menangkap mereka, dan dugaan keterlibatannya dalam
pengapalan kayu bulat ilegal telah dirintangi pemrosesan dan pengapalan kayu ilegal,
oleh pejabat teras kepolisian RI. penculikan dan usaha pembunuhan.
• Sejak laporan pertama EIA dan Telapak • Harus dilakukan penyidikan penuh atas
(The Final Cut, 1999) mengenai illegal peranan kepolisian negara dalam kasus tiga
logging di Taman Nasional Tanjung Puting kapal barang yang ditangkap oleh TNI AL
dan raja kayu Abdul Rasyid, Rasyid telah pada bulan November 2001.
semakin memperbesar kekuasaannya di
• Harus dibentuk sebuah satuan
Kalimantan Tengah dan memperluas
penanggulangankejahatan hutan yang
pengaruh korupnya di daerah lain di
independen yang terdiri dari penyidik, jaksa
Indonesia termasuk Jakarta.
dan hakim yang jujur untuk memproses
• Menteri Kehutanan, Dr Muhammad secara hukum kasus-kasus kejahatan hutan
Prakosa, telah mendukung pejabat tinggi yang paling serius.
yang pro-reformasi dan mengambil sejumlah
• Hingga terbentuk sistem yang transparan
langkah berani ditengah-tengah tekanan
dan terpercaya, kayu-kayu sitaan harus
melawan dirinya.
dihancurkan secara rutin untuk menghindari
• Pejabat-pejabat Departemen Kehutanan segala kesempatan pemanfaatan aktivitas
yang pro-reformasi, ditengah ketiadaan yang ilegal.
proses peradilan yang adil, berhasil
• Kegiatan bisnis militer harus transparan dan
menimbulkan masalah keuangan yang serius
bisa dipertanggungjawabkan.
bagi perusahaan pengapalan yang
tertangkap selagi mengangkut kayu bulat Kepada komunitas internasional:
ilegal.
• Pada waktu mempertimbangkan pinjaman
• Langkah internasional yang diambil dan bantuan untuk Pemerintah Indonesia,
pemerintah Indonesia telah mengawali suatu keputusan sepatutnya didasarkan sebagian
proses kesepakatan antara negara-negara pada seberapa seriusnya Pemerintah
konsumen dan Indonesia dalam mengatasi Indonesia menangani reformasi sistem
illegal logging dan pasar bagi kayu dan penegakan hukum dan peradilan yang
produk kayu ilegal. terkait dengan kehutanan.
• Dukungan finansial dan teknis harus
diberikan kepada Pemerintah Indonesia
untuk menangani reformasi peradilan dan
juga guna mengembangkan mekanisme
untuk menentukan dan melacak kayu legal
dari hutan sampai ke konsumen.
• Negara-negara konsumen kayu harus
membuat undang-undang baru untuk
mencegah impor kayu dan produk kayu dari
sumber ilegal.

36
 References/ Referensi

© EIA / Telapak
References/ Referensi
1. Transparency International “Corruption Perceptions 26. Jakarta Post “Govt set up new agency for forest 50. Gelar Perkara. Tersangka 3 Nakhoda Kapal
Index 2002” August 2002 industry” 20 August 2002 51. Surat Perintah Penghentian Penyidikan No Pol:
2. Jakarta Post “RI judiciary worse than thought: UN 27. Konsorsium LSM Kalimantan Tengah, ‘Suara SPPP/71.C/V/2002/Pidter
rapporteur” August 2002 keprihatinan terhadap dilantiknya Gubernur 52. Confidential internal document sourced 13 June 2002
3. Jakarta post “report reveals corruption in court is Kalimantan Tengah periode 2000-2005.10/3/00 53. Article 108 of the Criminal Code in Indonesia grants
organised” August 2002 28. ABC 4 Corners interview with Abi Kusno, a citizen the right to report an intention to commit a
4. TI press release “Corrupt political elites and 28 June 2002 crime or a criminal act
unscrupulous investors kill sustainable growth in its 29. www.suarakarya-online.com “Papua refuse log export 54. ABC 4 Corners interview with Abi Kusno,
tracks, highlights new index” 28 August 2002 ban” 2 July 2002 28 June 2002
5. Yale University Press release, 26 January 2001 30. EIA/Telapak “The Final Cut” 1999 55. ABC 4 Corners interview with Abi Kusno,
6. Letter from Police Brigadier General Trimada Dani to 31. Suara Pembaruan “The arrest of Chinese ships: 28 June 2002
MOF, April 2002 released for lack of evidence?” 8 July 2002 56. Andrew Wasley. Danger on the Green Beat. October
7. Confidential briefing, 23 August 2002 32. Statement made to police by Captain Gu Zhengban 29, 2002. Press Gazette On-Line
8. Jakarta post “report reveals corruption in court is Master of the MV Rong Chen. 7/1/02 57. ABC 4 Corners interview with Abi Kusno,
organised” August 2002 Copy of statement held by EIA/Telapak. 28 June 2002
9. Jakarta Post “Judges admit the country’s judiciary is 33. Suara Pembaruan “The arrest of Chinese ships: 58. Copy of Fixture notice between BAL Shipping (HK)
pathetic” August 2002 released for lack of evidence?” 8 July 2002 Co Ltd and COSCO Xiamen dated 5/10/01
10. AFP “Indonesia’s weak law enforcement, corruption 34. Amount seized by authorities from three ships, the 59. Statement from Master of MV Rong Chen to Cosco
spells forest disaster” 18 August 2002 MV Sea Utility escaped Group Xiamen Ocean Shipping CO. 7/1/02
11. Indonesia-UK Tropical Forest Management 35. Document obtained by EIA/Telapak from government 60. 0811-527167
Programme, “Illegal Logging in Indonesia” 1999 source, chronology of events and arrest of three 61. Statement from Master of MV Rong Chen to Cosco
12. ENS “The army’s tainted logging business in Papua” foreign log-smuggling ships in Tanjung Priok. Group Xiamen Ocean Shipping Co. 7/1/02
30 July 2002 36. Certificate of Legitimacy of Forest Product. Article 62. ABC 4 Corners interview with Abi Kusno,
13. Financial Times Opinion 20 August 2001 no 50 and 78 of Law No 41/1999 28 June 2002
14. Audit Terhadap Yayasan Militer. I Gde Artjana. 37. Fixture notices between shipping companies and 63. Banjarmasin Pos, 5 September 2002 and Kalteng Pos,
15. Jakarta Post “Weak Law Enforcement blamed for charterers giving the destination as China 30 August 2002
rampant illegal logging” 24 August 2002 38. ABC 4 Corners interview with Abi Kusno, 64. Confidential source, 6 September 2002
16. Jakarta Post “Governor lashes out at illegal logging” 28 June 2002 65. EIA/Telapak Map showing infrastructure of logging in
24 August 2002 39. Kronologi Kejadian dan kegiatan penyidikan kasus TPNP 2001
17. Jakarta Post “SE Sulawesi environment deteriorating” 3 kapal asing 66. Confidential source, 6 September 2002
19 August 2002 40. The arrest of Chinese Ships: A test of police sincerity. 67. Banjarmasin Pos, 5 September 2002
18. Jakarta Post “East Java forests in critical condition” Heri S.Soba. Suara Pembaruan, July 8, 2002 68. Ashley Leiman, Orangutan Foundation,
23 August 2002 41. Pt Lingga Marintama. Pemberitahuan Pengoperasian 28 August 2002
19. Jakarta Post “Despite Johannesburg Summit, Kapal Asing (PPKA). 5/11/01. 69. Ashley Leiman, Orangutan Foundation pers.comm.
Lampung still abuses forest” 27 August 2002 42. Kronologi Kejadian dan kegiatan penyidikan kasus 6 September 2002
20. International Herald Tribune “Indonesia’s forests are 3 kapal asing 70. Confidential source, 6 September 2002
vanishing faster than ever” 25 January 2000 43. Local sources, September 2002 71. The Timber Mafia. ABCTV 4Corners, July 2002
21. Jakarta Post “Illegal logging threatens power project” 44. Kronologi Kejadian dan kegiatan penyidikan kasus 72. Confidential source, 6 September 2002
27 August 2002 3 kapal asing 73. Kalteng Pos. 30 August 2002
22. Banjarmasin Pos “Marzuki: Tuntaskan Kasus 45. ibid 74. Banjarmasin Pos, 30 August 2002
Penjarahan Tanjung Puting” 4 September 2000 46. Suara Pembaruan “The arrest of Chinese ships: 75. Banjarmasin Pos, 5 September 2002
23. Indonesian Observer “Minister seeks swift arrest of released for lack of evidence?” 8 July 2002 76. Confidential source, 6 September 2002
MPR member” 6 December 2000 47. ABC 4 Corners interview with Abi Kusno, 77. Banjarmasin Pos, 5 September 2002
24. Jakarta Post “Mega calls for logging moratorium” 28 June 2002
13 May 2002 48. ibid
25. Jakarta Post “Govt to set up green crimes team” 49. Kompas Newspaper 9 February 2002. Per’s comm
8 July 2002 local sources to EIA/Telapak

37
 telapak
environmental investigation agency

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