Yazid Nurhuda, the ministry’s director for Forestry Complaint Prevention and Handling, said the move supports an order from the Director-General of Sustainable Forest Management halting all timber utilization and transport to block any attempt to mix illegal wood into legitimate supplies during the emergency.
“We fully support this temporary freeze. In an emergency, the priority is recovery and risk mitigation. Our law-enforcement teams are here to ensure no one exploits the disaster for illegal gains,” Yazid said.
The ministry has launched tactical measures to close loopholes that could enable the circulation of illegal timber. During the freeze, the Forestry Law-Enforcement Directorate will widen access to complaint channels and deploy tighter monitoring teams on the ground.
Yazid said field supervision aligns with the Director-General’s instructions to all holders of Forest Utilization Business Licenses and Non-Forestry Timber Utilization approvals. Forestry law-enforcement officers have been ordered to conduct intensive checks.
“Our teams will monitor license holders to ensure they do not transport, load or ship timber in any form, as mandated by the circular,” he said.
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The directorate has also coordinated with forestry agencies in the three affected provinces to carry out joint field monitoring.
The policy took effect on December 8, 2025, and will remain in place until further notice. The ministry says the preventive and enforcement measures aim to protect forest ecosystems while supporting post-disaster recovery in Sumatra.
The expanded complaint channels highlight the crucial role of communities as “eyes and ears” on the ground.
The ministry has activated a 24-hour hotline and urged residents in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra to immediately report suspicious timber transport or logging activities during the freeze.
Reports can be submitted via the call center, the ministry’s official social media accounts, or its online complaint system at pengaduan.gakkum@kehutanan.go.id, as well as the 24-hour hotline: +6285270149194.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna Violleta, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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