Prabowo Listens to Academics on Peatland Management, Minister Says - Tempo.co English

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto has backed plans to establish a national agency dedicated to managing Indonesia’s peatlands and mangroves, Forestry Minister Raja Antoni said Wednesday.

The National Peatland and Mangrove Management Agency (BPGMN) is expected to strengthen the government’s efforts to prevent forest and land fires, Raja said during a visit to the Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Deliberation House in Bengkalis, Riau.

Raja said Prabowo’s decision was based on research and data presented by scientists and academics.

“President Prabowo Subianto has made the decision. As I said earlier, he listens to scientists and makes policy decisions based on research and studies. Research is the best policy,” Raja said in a statement received in Jakarta.

“He listened directly last week to proposals from scientists and academics, backed by sufficient data, that Indonesia needs an agency to seriously manage peatlands and mangroves,” he added.

The Forestry Ministry will hold a workshop with 22 experts who were previously invited to the Presidential Palace to prepare for the establishment of the agency, Raja said.

The experts will discuss the BPGMN’s mandate, standard operating procedures and organizational structure, with the aim of ensuring the agency operates effectively and efficiently.

The discussions will also involve mangrove experts as well as policymakers from ministries, government agencies and regional administrations.

Raja said the results of the discussions would serve as the basis for drafting a presidential regulation governing the new agency.