"Those companies have not utilized the permits, meanwhile the President wanted forest utilization to be maximized," the minister said after attending a meeting with the President at the Presidential Palace Complex on Monday.
He informed that the forest area extends from Aceh to Papua, totaling 526,144 hectares.
According to him, some of the 18 companies were granted the PBPH in 1997 and 1998, and some in 2006 and 2010.
Before revoking the permit, his ministry followed several processes, such as questioning their permit use and warning the companies.
"We have criteria for the warning mechanism until we revoke the permits after (they are) granted by the President," Antoni said.
He informed that the policy for permit revocation will be stipulated in a ministerial regulation that would likely be issued on Monday or Tuesday.
After the permit revocation, the forest areas will be utilized as state forests, he said.
"The permits are taken over by the state to become state forests, which we can later reissue the permits for state-owned enterprises (SOEs), Danantara," he expounded.
During a meeting with the President, the minister also reported on the progress and results of measures carried out by his office.
"The Forestry Ministry is always seeking a middle ground for forestry development and also forest sustainability," he said.
Antoni stressed that Indonesian forests must remain sustainable. However, development must continue and its results should benefit the people.
Earlier, he said that the use of forests as food, energy, and water reserve areas does not constitute deforestation, rather, it can support food self-sufficiency while sustaining and preserving forests.
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Translator: Genta Tenri M, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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