PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – A serious discussion took place in a meeting room at the Ministry of Defense last Thursday. The Chairman of the Indonesian Ombudsman, Mokhammad Najih, accompanied by Ombudsman member Yeka Hedra Fatika, met with Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, who also serves as the Chief Supervisor of the Forest Area Regulation Task Force. The main agenda was to discuss potential maladministration in resolving overlapping land issues between palm oil plantations and forest areas.
During the presentation, Yeka revealed that the Ombudsman had identified legal uncertainties regarding palm oil plantations that already hold Land Rights (HAT) but are still classified as forest areas. Additionally, unclear implementation of the Datin KLJK Decree No. I-XXIV has worsened the situation.
“There is potential maladministration, including procedural service deviations and uncertainties in forest area regulation. This not only impacts the economy but also poses potential legal challenges,” Yeka explained, as reported by Palmoilmagazine.com from the official Ombudsman RI website on Monday (March 17, 2025).
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To address these issues, the Ombudsman RI proposed several recommendations. First, supporting the sustainability of existing palm oil plantations. This approach aims to preserve jobs, drive industry growth, and advance the downstream palm oil sector. Furthermore, the development of creative industries based on palm oil is expected to progress alongside improved supporting infrastructure.
Second, strengthening the collection of plantation development funds by strictly enforcing Article 5, paragraph (1) of Government Regulation No. 24 of 2015 on Plantation Fund Collection. These funds, sourced from export levies and contributions from plantation businesses, must be managed more efficiently to establish the palm oil industry as a pillar of a sustainable green economy.
“A national institution is needed to manage the palm oil industry in an integrated manner, aligning with ASTA CITA’s goals,” Yeka emphasized.
The meeting was attended by several high-ranking officials, including the Head of BPKP, Muhammad Yusuf Ateh, TNI Chief of Staff General Richard Tampubolon, Secretary General of the Ministry of Defense Lieutenant General Tri Budi Utomo, Inspector General of the Ministry of Defense Lieutenant General Rui Duarte, and representatives from the Ombudsman RI, including Yustus Martubongs, Kusharyanto, and Miftah Firdaus. With these findings, concrete steps are expected to be taken to fairly and sustainably resolve the land overlap between palm oil plantations and forest areas. (P2)
