I

t is a lesson the Jakarta administration wants all residents to learn: Do not chop down trees, even if they are sitting in front of your house.

The Central Jakarta District Court handed down guilty sentences to three men for illegally cutting down trees in Cipayung, East Jakarta.

Fatkur Rohman, 44, was sentenced to fines totaling Rp 25 million (US$1,871) for cutting down trees in front of his house on Jl. Yankes AD in Muncul subdistrict, Cipayung. Judge Mahfudin declared him guilty of violating 2007 regional regulations on public order. One of the regulations prohibits the chopping down of trees or greenery along public roads or parks. Those who violate it face fines of between Rp 5 million and Rp 25 million or up to one month in prison.

Of those found guilty in the case, Fatkur was ordered to pay the biggest fine while Abdul Kholiq, 57, the man whom he ordered to cut down the tree, was ordered to pay Rp 5 million.

During the hearing on Friday, Fatkur said he did not plant the tree. He asked Abdul to cut it because its location supposedly made it difficult for him to park his car. He paid Abdul and his other friends Rp 500,000 to cut it down.

“I did not know that cutting down the tree was against the law,” he said in the hearing.

Officials of the Jakarta Forestry Agency saw Fatkur with logs from the tree loaded on a pickup truck on July 24. The officials then seized the evidence and moved to investigate the case, which was conducted by investigators at the agency.

Meanwhile, South Jakarta residents Marno, 40, and Hotman, 46, were found guilty in separate cases of illegal tree cutting. They were ordered to pay Rp 20 million and Rp 25 million, respectively.

Marno, who lives in Kebayoran Lama in South Jakarta, cut down a large, dome-shaped Angsana tree that he claimed partially blocked access to a turn near his house.

Meanwhile, Tebet resident Hotman admitted to cutting down a mahogany tree that he claimed blocked access to his entrance gate.

Monitoring division head at the Jakarta Forestry Agency Henri Perez Sitorus said there have been five cases of illegal tree cutting since January. The four men were the first to go through the legal process in court.

There are ongoing investigations into six separate cases, he said, adding that, although there were more cases of tree cutting, a limited number of investigators hampered the investigation process, which can take up to one month.

Most of the trees cut down were mahogany and Angsana aged above 10 years. All eleven cases took place in East Jakarta or South Jakarta.

The legal process that started earlier this year aims to raise public awareness on the consequences of illegal tree cutting.

“Jakartans need to be educated. They must not chop down trees illegally. We need trees, we need oxygen,” Henri said.

He explained that residents could only cut down trees after getting a permit from the local administration. The administration said permits were previously given to those who wanted to cut down trees that were weathered or hazardous.

However, based on the agency’s investigation, some people cut trees near their house or in other areas with the intention to sell them. A single log from a mahogany tree is sold for as much as Rp 20 million.

All the men sentenced today denied they had any intention to sell the logs.

Urban analyst from Trisakti University Yayat Supriatna said the sentences were acceptable, but he questioned where the money would go. Public order had been a chronic problem in Jakarta, he said, citing examples of sidewalk violations and disorderly traffic. Therefore, instead of focusing solely on law enforcement, the city administration should also focus on raising public awareness, he said.

“Jakartans should be given information on what they can and cannot do,” he told The Jakarta Post.

He suggested that the administration disseminate information and develop programs as part of tree preservation efforts, instead of merely punishing the perpetrators. (dra)