Sumatra, Biodiversity loss, Pulp & paper, APRIL, corruption, EoF, forest graft, forestry corruptors, ICW, KPK, RAPP, Riau, Rusli Zainal,
EoF News (PEKANBARU) – Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is urged to nab more corruptors, including the untouchables from officials and persons from companies, civil society activists said last week.
KPK is also pushed by NGO activist to prosecute executives of companies who allegedly involved in corruption cases in Riau province and other areas in the country, Berita Satu website reported last week.
In Jakarta, Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) urged KPK to detain more perpetrators of corruption cases in forestry sector if their names mentioned on corruption trials, Berita Satu reported Friday.
Emerson Yuntho of ICW told media last week (12/4) that his corruption watchdog recommended KPK to “reinvestigate those who are allegedly involved in corruption cases of forestry sector.”
He said there were six forestry corruption cases in Indonesia and those were still not resolved yet by the KPK. There are 21 perpetrators whom prosecuted by KPK.
ICW said that if KPK obtains complete evidence, it can name perpetrators suspects such as Riau Governor Rusli Zainal whom cited by Syuhada Tasman, a defendant in anti-corruption court of Pekanbaru, as a person who signed logging permits beyond his authority.
Two former district heads and one former forestry service head in Riau had been sentenced to jail as they found guilty in making personal profit and cause the State’s losses by receiving bribery from companies. While, another former forestry service head is on trial and would be punished next week, and another one is detained and interrogated.
Susanto Kurniawan, an NGO activist in Riau, said Sunday that executives of forestry companies who might be involved in corruption cases should be brought to justice.
The people from corporate are those who enjoyed the State’s losses due to issuance of industrial timber plantation licenses. “Receipents of benefit from the State’s losses are from corporate,” said Susanto.
He cited final decision by KPK judges on Riau corruption cases concluding that the jailed officials were convicted of collaboratively making personal profits and causing the State’s loss, therefore the corporate side should be prosecuted too.
Emerson Yuntho said ten people and one company who allegedly involved in forestry corruption were witnesses and were not named suspects by KPK.
ICW analyzed that a company that should be nabbed by KPK is PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (APRIL subsidiary) as the company received timber sourced by most of 15 companies related to Azmun’s graft cases in Pelalawan District, Riau province.
Data published by the government’s Task Force for Justice Mafia Eradication in 2011 said that the State suffered a loss amount to Rp 73 trillion due to forestry corruption in Riau alone.
EoF learns that both APP and APRIL groups are linked to forestry corruption cases in Riau which sent the officials to the jail.