Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – The current Forestry Law needs to be revised and adapted to reflect the realities of society and the demands of the times.
The revised forestry law must provide legal certainty, promote community welfare, and address both current and future needs.
This was one of the main points raised during a Public Hearing (RDPU) of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) with experts and academics at the Nusantara Building, DPR RI, Senayan, Jakarta, on Wednesday (June 25, 2025).
Sturman Panjaitan, a member of Commission IV of the DPR RI, stated that Law No. 41 of 1999, which currently serves as the legal basis for forest management, no longer sufficiently addresses the complexity of national forestry issues.
He noted that overlapping sectoral regulations have become a serious obstacle to sustainable forest management.
“This law dates back to the beginning of the reform era. Now there are many overlapping regulations. The Ministry of Forestry has its own rules, and so does the National Land Agency (BPN),” said Sturman in an official DPR-RI statement.
He emphasized that forests are national assets that must be managed wisely by the government and utilized to the fullest for the welfare of the people.
Therefore, there must be clear delineation of forest functions, management structures, and inter-agency responsibilities. “Forests must be managed as best as possible by the state and used as effectively as possible for the people’s welfare. But first, we need to regulate and reorganize them,” he added.
Meanwhile, fellow Commission IV member I Nyoman Adi Wiryatama stressed the need to draft a new Forestry Law, as the current regulation is no longer relevant to today’s developments.
“In my opinion, Law No. 41 of 1999 on Forestry is outdated. It no longer aligns with current demands. Therefore, we agree that it’s not just a matter of revision, but rather the need to draft a new law that truly addresses today’s needs,” he said during the RDPU on the Forestry Law revision.
He underlined that the process of drafting a new law would require a long time, as it is important to incorporate all aspirations and interests of stakeholders. “Today we are just beginning to listen to input from stakeholders such as Perhutani and consulting groups. We will compile everything and discuss it thoroughly in upcoming meetings,” explained the legislator representing the Bali electoral district. (*)
