SBY hits back at foreign critics on forestry, plantation issues

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has hit back at foreign parties and international non-governmental organizations for criticizing his government's development of Indonesia's plantation and forestry sectors.

“It is just weird if we are not allowed to develop businesses in forestry and plantation sectors,” Yudhoyono said in his speech during the 83^rd Mother’s Day commemoration in Balai Kartini on Thursday, as reported by tempo.com.

“If they told Indonesia to close all its palm plantation businesses it would destroy the Indonesian economy and millions of people would lose their jobs.”

He added that many foreign parties had actively highlighted the environment condition in Indonesia.

However, he expected that they not make it look like Indonesia did not have an administration and as if Indonesia was not willing to preserve its own environment.

He said he supported sustainable forest management for the improvement of public welfare, and therefore he asked the international community to cooperate with Indonesia to preserve the earth in positive ways.

“I can assure you that Indonesia will do its best for the environment and the Earth and I hope all other countries will do the same,” Yudhoyono said.