The Environment and Forestry Ministry has announced that it will take firm action to address crimes against the environment and forests by imposing the harshest of sanctions on perpetrators.

“We will take firm action. Why? Ever since the creation of the Job Creation Law, we say that we will conduct law enforcement firmly to (curb) crimes, in accordance with the Job Creation Law,” director general of environment and forestry law enforcement, Rasio Ridho Sani, said at a press conference at the ministry here on Friday.

Firm action will be taken against the perpetrators of crimes against the environment and forests since they only seek financial gains by putting the environment at risk.

Moreover, the actions of such perpetrators negatively impact the ecosystem, apart from compromising the health of nearby residents.

“This is a (vile act) which we must punish as harshly as possible,” Sani said.

Currently, the ministry has pushed for the imposition of multiple sanctions on perpetrators of crimes against the environment and forestry, he added.

He opined that the measure will have a deterrent effect.

He also said that the ministry is currently preparing measures to address money laundering issues related to the environment.

One instance when multiple sanctions were imposed recently was a case involving the management of dangerous waste in Karawang district, West Java. The perpetrator in the case was named a suspect by the ministry and placed under detention on July 27, 2022.

Sani said that in the case, sanctions were imposed under articles from two laws—the Law on Environment Protection and Management as well as the Law on Forestry.

Source: Antara News