Nature Alert: Five S. Kalimantan firms ignore environmentally conscious practice : official

Sunday, 29 November 2009

Five S. Kalimantan firms ignore environmentally conscious practice : official

The Jakarta Post | Sun, 11/29/2009

An official at the Environment Ministry has stated that five companies in South Kalimantan have ignored environmental aspects during their work in the province.

Gempur Adnan, the ministry's deputy for environmental pollution monitoring affairs, said Sunday that the firms were state-owned palm oil plantation PTPN 13 Kebun Danau Salak, PT Sinar Kencana Inti Perkasa, pulp firms PT Basirih Industrial Corporindo, PT Hendratna Plywood and PT Daya Sakti Unggul Corporindo.

“They have fallen under the ‘black’ category on the Proper rating system for not making an effort to manage the environment,” Gempur told kompas.com.

He added that 17 firms taking part in a recent environmental test had made no solid effort to better the environment.

“We will try our hardest to ensure the companies pay attention to the environment,” he said. “If they don’t, we will bring them to the court for alleged violation of the environment and may revoke their operational licenses.”

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/11/29/five-s-kalimantan-firms-ignore-environmentally-conscious-practice-official.html

Hall of Shame for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the Palm Oil Industry.

Nothing can prepare one for the sight of the systematic extermination of orangutans by the government of Indonesia.

Look at the photos and news articles on these pages in the context of a statement the President made to the media on 10th December 2007.

“In the last 35 years about 50,000 orangutans are estimated to have been lost as their habitats shrank. If this continues, this majestic creature will likely face extinction by 2050,” President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said at the launch of an orangutan conservation plan at the climate talks in Bali.

“The fate of the orangutan is a subject that goes to the heart of sustainable forests … To save the orangutan we have to save the forest.”

Statements like these are most welcome, but unless backed up by action, such words fall on deaf ears within the Ministry of Forestry....who are busy granting licences to cut down the very forests the President says they should protect!

When you think you are to busy to help, please could you reflect for a moment on .........

The following extract refers to environmental problems in general. I just hope you find it as thought provoking and relevant to orangutans as I have.

"This is such a shocking and unpalatable fact that most people deny it, or they just don't want to think about it. They believe as individuals, they can do little about it, so push it to the back of their minds. But I can't do that.

When something has to be done, we need to do it. It doesn't matter how big the challenge is or how hard the solution; if I know something is wrong, and I am in a position to help, I will do my best to make it right." Duncan Bannatyne, successful British businessman.