Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Forest Area Enforcement (PKH) Task Force has collected Rp7.07 trillion (around US$419 million) in administrative fines from 48 palm oil and mining companies found to have violated forest land-use regulations.
During a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday, the task force's spokesperson, Barita Simanjuntak, expressed appreciation for the companies that have demonstrated compliance by fulfilling their fine payment obligations.
He noted that such compliance is vital for supporting forest area management that is equitable, transparent, and aligned with national interests and public welfare. From the palm oil sector, 41 companies have settled their administrative fines, totaling approximately Rp4.76 trillion. Apart from that, there are still significant potential payments from other companies.
Out of 83 palm oil companies summoned by the task force, 73 have attended the summons, including the 41 companies that have already completed their payments.
Meanwhile, 13 have formally committed to fulfilling their administrative fine obligations, totaling approximately Rp2.39 trillion. These payments are currently being finalized according to an agreed-upon schedule.
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Furthermore, in the mining sector, the PKH Task Force has summoned 32 companies, with 22 of them attending. Among those who attended, seven have accepted and agreed to pay their administrative fines, while the rest have either filed formal objections or are waiting to be rescheduled.
Simanjuntak highlighted that the enforcement of forest areas is beyond just collecting fines but also includes reclaiming forest land and recovering state assets. Furthermore, the task force is preparing legal action against companies that fail to show good faith in fulfilling their obligations.
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Established under Presidential Regulation Number 5 of 2025, the PKH Task Force has so far secured large-scale assets, including 4.09 million hectares of palm oil plantations and 8,822 hectares of mining land.