PALMOILMAGAZINE, KETAPANG – Several members of the Sawit Sejahtera Bersama Plantation Cooperative (SSB Cooperative) in Air Hitam Besar Village, Kendawangan District, have filed a lawsuit at the Ketapang District Court against PT Berkat Nabati Sejahtera (PT BNS) and the cooperative’s management. The lawsuit centers on allegations of unfulfilled partnership land commitments, with only 603.13 hectares realized out of the promised 1,470 hectares, equivalent to 20% of the total cultivated area.
Usman Muliyadi, one of the cooperative members, argued that the shortfall directly affects the residual income received by members. “We surrendered our land 16 years ago, but the community’s rights remain unfulfilled. If the promised 1,470-hectare plantation was realized, our SHK (Shareholder’s Income) would be much higher. This lawsuit demands transparency from PT BNS and the cooperative regarding the location and size of the plantation’s HGU (Business Use Rights),” Usman told Palmoilmagazine.com, as reported by thekalimantanpost on Thursday (19/12/2024).
Another plaintiff, H. Ilmik, echoed Usman’s concerns. “The cooperative should advocate for our rights, but instead, they remain silent. That’s why we’ve taken this issue to court,” he stated.
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The plaintiffs’ legal representative, Ivo Elmoswat, highlighted the financial implications for the cooperative members. “Ideally, members should be earning Rp10 million per month, but they currently receive only Rp2 million to Rp3 million. This represents a significant loss for the farmers,” he emphasized.
Responding to the lawsuit, PT BNS’ Head PA Legal provided clarification. He explained that the company has fulfilled its obligations based on MOA No. 98 of 2013 and MOA No. 18 of 2021, related to the development of partnership plantations of 20% of the total area cultivated.
“In its implementation, the company has reported the management of partnership plantation and SHK to the cooperative transparently,” he said as quoted by InfoSAWIT from wartaketapang, Thursday (19/12/2024). He also explained that geographical conditions, such as floods and natural disasters, were the main factors in not realizing the planting target in some areas.
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According to him, the cultivated land includes 6,300 hectares of nucleus plantations and 1,470 hectares of partnership plantations, with details of 922 hectares of mature harvest, 349 hectares of immature, and 200 hectares affected by flooding.
“We consider this lawsuit to be vague, because the demand for partnership land area does not correlate with the small SHK received by members. We will present accurate data and facts to prove that the company’s steps are in accordance with the rules,” he said.
The first trial related to this lawsuit took place on Tuesday (17/12/2024) at the Ketapang District Court. All parties are now waiting for further developments from the ongoing legal process. (P2)
