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ollowing the extension of the two-year moratorium on forest clearances, the Forestry Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Tuesday to prevent malpractice and corruption.

“This effort has been made to improve the ministry’s administration following the moratorium. The ministry can no longer ‘sell’ concession permits,” Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan told reporters on Tuesday.

Forestry Ministry Secretary-General Hadi Daryanto said that the agreement was made based on reports from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) that were filed with the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Division (Bareskrim) in March claiming that 26 mining and plantation companies were involved in corruption and malfeasance.

The report, which said that the resulting state losses topped Rp 90.6
billion (US$9.3 million) in 2011, found three patterns of violations: operating in protected forests without concessions from the Forestry Ministry, running forest-clearance activities without permits and illegal logging.

“We are overwhelmed in combating violations. We need the KPK’s support,” Zulkifli said. “We hope that in the near future, we can conduct case exposes of these violations so that the public can participate in monitoring the forests.”

Meanwhile, KPK deputy chairman Adnan Pandu Praja thanked the minister for allowing the commission to step in to combat corruption at the ministry.