Jakarta, hitclubapk3 Indonesia
—
Member of Commission IV DPR from the PKB faction Daniel Johan
reminded the central and regional government plans for planting
palm
in Papua it can trigger floods and landslides.
Daniel assesses that the contour of Papua’s land is not suitable for oil palm plantations.According to him, land in Papua is dominated by mountainous areas and river basins (DAS).
“Especially for Papua, we have to look at the contours of the land where oil palm will be planted. We don’t want to clear new forests for oil palm planting, especially in mountainous areas, watershed routes, if this is done it will trigger potential disasters such as floods and landslides,” said Daniel when contacted, Thursday (17/12).
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He said the plan to expand palm oil as an effort for national energy independence had good intentions.However, the bitter experience in various regions, including Sumatra, where the conversion of forests for palm oil and mining has triggered floods, flash floods and ecological crises, should be a serious alarm.
Daniel said Papua is not just an empty space for commodity expansion, but rather Indonesia’s last ecological bastion with vital hydrological functions.
“If forest clearing is carried out without caution, without protecting forests and customary areas, the risk of the ecological disaster that is currently occurring in Sumatra, Aceh has the potential to be repeated, with even greater impacts,” he said.
Daniel said that development in Papua must be careful with strict environmental studies, protection of indigenous peoples, and clear spatial planning.
According to Daniel, energy independence must not be paid for by permanent environmental damage and suffering of the Papuan people.
“To maximize energy from vegetable (palm) oil, it is enough to maximize the potential of existing land which reaches more than 16 million ha. In fact, through the PKH Task Force, we have carried out an inventory of land that is problematic and has been taken over by the state,” said Daniel.
“Production must be maximized so that no more forest/land is cleared for oil palm plantations,” he said.
Previously, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto encouraged the planting of oil palm in the Papua region.Prabowo wants to produce fuel oil (BBM) from palm oil.
This was conveyed by Prabowo in a briefing to regional heads throughout Papua at the State Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday (16/12).Apart from that, Prabowo also proposed planting sugar cane and cassava which can produce ethanol.
Prabowo hopes that within five years of his leadership all regions can achieve food self-sufficiency and energy self-sufficiency.
“And later we hope that in the Papua region oil palm will also be planted so that we can also produce fuel from palm oil,” said Prabowo.
(fra/thr/fra)
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