PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA — Indonesia’s Task Force for Forest Area Enforcement (Satgas PKH) has reported collecting administrative fines totaling IDR 38.6 trillion from 71 palm oil and mining companies found operating illegally inside forest areas. As of December 8, 2025, enforcement actions have covered 3,771,467.31 hectares. Of that area, 1,504,625.21 hectares have been transferred to state-owned enterprise PT Agrinas Palma Nusantara.
The move has drawn sharp criticism. The Center for Natural Resources Law Studies and Advocacy (PUSTAKA ALAM) argues that handing over confiscated land to PT Agrinas Palma Nusantara creates fresh legal and environmental problems. The group says the company lacks mandatory permits, including spatial conformity approval/location permits (KKPR), business licenses (IUP), environmental approvals and environmental impact assessments (AMDAL), forest area release permits, and land-use rights (HGU).
PUSTAKA ALAM Director Muhamad Zainal Arifin questioned the policy direction behind the forest enforcement program. “There is no legal basis for the state to hand over millions of hectares to an entity with no permits and allow it to operate immediately. The task force’s actions risk creating new disorder by facilitating illegal plantation practices,” he said in a statement received by Palmoilmagazine.com on Wednesday (December 17, 2025).
Also Read:
Zainal warned that the absence of environmental permits and AMDAL poses serious ecological risks. Without proper risk analysis, surrounding communities and ecosystems face heightened threats of flooding, landslides, and forest fires. “Without AMDAL, there are no mitigation instruments and no certainty of protection. The state must not wait for disasters to happen,” he said, adding that large-scale plantations operating without AMDAL represent a direct threat—especially in areas with fragile hydrological and ecological characteristics.
In response, PUSTAKA ALAM urged the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Forestry to immediately seal all land and operations of PT Agrinas Palma Nusantara and its partners until all licensing requirements are fulfilled. Law enforcement, the group said, must be consistent and non-discriminatory.
“Why are the Environment and Forestry ministries turning a blind eye? Agrinas Palma has no permits at all. Don’t act only after a disaster occurs and then look for scapegoats,” Zainal stressed.
Task Force Authority to Collect Fines Questioned
Beyond the land transfer, PUSTAKA ALAM also challenged Satgas PKH’s authority to levy and collect administrative fines. Under Article 35 paragraph (1) of Government Regulation No. 45 of 2025 on Administrative Sanctions Procedures, the authority to impose and collect fines rests with the Minister of Forestry—not Satgas PKH.
The group also criticized Ministerial Decree of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) No. 391.K/MB.01/MEM.B/2025, which sets administrative fine tariffs for mining commodities in forest areas. The decree assigns collection to Satgas PKH and records all proceeds as non-tax state revenue (PNBP) under the ESDM sector.
“This is confusing and ironic. The violations occur in forest areas, yet the revenue is booked under ESDM. Government Regulation 45/2025 is clear: this is the authority of the Minister of Forestry and should be recorded as forestry PNBP to support ecosystem restoration,” Zainal said.
PUSTAKA ALAM called on the government to comprehensively review Satgas PKH’s mandate and the ESDM decree, urging that administrative sanction authority be returned to the Ministry of Forestry to prevent financial maladministration and ensure forest enforcement is truly oriented toward ecological recovery and legal certainty. (P2)
