PEKANBARU, Sumatra - 9 February 2022 – Eyes on the Forest coalition warmly hailed Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar for her policy rejecting idea to register oil palm commodity as forest plant. ''The [Indonesian] Government’s Rule is strict, that oil palm is not included in forest plant and there is no plan to do so [revise regulation],” said the Minister in her twitter update, Monday (07/02/2022).

On 26 August 2020, Jikalahari reported that PT Nusa Prima Manunggal (PT NPM), a wood supplier of Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Ltd (APRIL), plans to clear-cut natural forest in a 1,565 hectares Communal Forest area of Koto Intuok Cooperative in Pulau Padang Village, Singingi District, Kuantan Singingi Regency, Riau.

State Administrative Court Jakarta rejected Thursday lawsuit lodged by PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP), a major supplier of Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL), who demanded the court to annul suspension of their ten-year general workplan which banned their operation.

PEKANBARU – Joko Widodo’s Administration have committed to reduce greenhouse gas emission by --one among efforts-- protecting peatlands as a preventive action to avoid repetitive massive forest and land fires. However, this effort is snubbed by Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) through its main supplier and subsidiary, PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper (RAPP), as the company disregarded the second Warning Letter issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry number S.1254/MENLHK-SETJEN/ROUM/HPL.1/10/2017 dated 6 October 2017.

Eyes on the Forest commended the Ministry of Environment and Forestry for issuing a letter and instructions regarding peat management for the prevention and control of fire.

Indonesia Police Headquarters named PT BMH as a suspect of forest fires in South Sumatra and it is the second time the timber supplier of Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) convicted to the crime following its legal status in February last year.