Gov’t Continues Evaluating BRG’s Performance

President Jokowi leads a limited cabinet meeting on the Evaluation of Regulation on Peat Land at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Wednesday (26/4). (Photo by: Public Relations Division s/Jay)

One year after the Peat Land Restoration Agency (BRG) was established, the Indonesian Government continues to evaluate its performance – be it related to the regulations and implementation on the ground.

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo said that evaluation has to continue to be done because the Agency has been given the target of restoring up to 2,000,000 hectares of peat land until 2020 in 7 provinces: Riau, Jambi, South Sumatera, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, and Papua.

However, as the President stated during a Limited Cabinet Meeting on 11 January this year, to reach the target of restoring peat land in 2017, the Agency cannot work alone. “The BRG needs full supports from all ministries, institutions, and regional governments,” the President said in his introductory remarks before a Limited Cabinet Meeting on the Evaluation of Regulations on Peat Land at the Presidential Office, Wednesday (26/4).

In addition, the President also urged those living around peat land ecosystem, including private sectors and state-owned enterprises who hold the concession rights to be involved in peat land restoration efforts. “They are expected to take part in preserving peat land ecosystem, with so the peat lands can be used for economic purposes and to bring prosperity for the people without ignoring the aspects of preserving the environment, especially in terms of maintaining hydrological aspect and ecological integrity of peat domes, “ the President said.

The President further said that it is crucial to make protection and restoration of the ecological function of peat domes as a shared priority in a bid to prevent peat land fires that are very difficult to extinguish.

Peat land fires, the President added, must be prevented as early as possible because they will clearly bring about extraordinary impacts.

“So once again, I would like to emphasize that protection for and restoration of ecological functions of peat domes is our common interest and must be our shared responsibilities,” the President concluded. (DNA/ES)  (Naster/YM/EP)