TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Golongan Hutan: Raising Indonesian forest protection in election debate
Golongan Hutan has prepared questions for candidates related to environmental issues.
Change Size
Environmental concerns are perceived as less discussed issues among young voters although Indonesia keeps losing its forests as a result of the operations of large-scale oil palm plantations, mining and the paper industry. (Shutterstock/Rich Carey)
T
he first presidential debate is scheduled for Thursday. Both candidates have declared their visions and missions to attract voters, especially from the millennial generation.
However, environmental concerns and corruption in the natural resource sector are still perceived as less-discussed issues among the public and young voters in particular, although Indonesia continues to lose its forests as a result of the operations of large-scale oil palm plantations, mining and the paper industry.
Golongan Hutan is an initiative aimed at encouraging voters to question the candidates in the 2019 election about their stance on deforestation. The initiative consists of nine organizations that campaign and advocate for forest conservation, environment and natural resources, namely WALHI, Coaction Indonesia, Kemitraan, Madani Berkelanjutan, Greenpeace Indonesia, Change.org, Rekam Nusantara Foundation, Econusa and HuMa.
Khalisah Khalid, coordinator of the initiative, said they wanted to motivate young people to actively save Indonesian forests. One way is by finding out about the candidates’ visions and missions and their commitment to forest conservation and corruption eradication.
Read also: Environmental causes dominate Indonesia's clicktivism in 2018
“We encourage them to question the candidates, including about their funding sources – are they from companies that contribute to deforestation and eliminating local people’s sources of income,” said Khalisah in an official statement.
On its website, Golongan Hutan features information related to deforestation. There are also questions to be asked of the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the presidential candidates, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Prabowo Subianto, via Twitter with the hashtag #GolHut. One of the questions is about what the candidates will do if they are supported by palm oil, mining and paper companies.
@jokowi Kalau ada perusahaan sawit, tambang atau kertas yang mau membiayai kampanye Anda, bagaimana sikap Anda? #GolHut
— Wagi Wisnu Wisnu (@WagiWisnu) January 16, 2019
@sandiuno Bagaimana solusi Anda agar perusahaan perkebunan, tambang, dan kertas yang menggerogoti hutan bisa lebih patuh peraturan? #GolHut
— Gratiana Wardoyo (@gratiana_achie) January 14, 2019
The initiative welcomes questions from netizens as well, including from those who are still confused about where to start looking for information. Golongan Hutan will rewrite the questions based on data and facts.
It is hoped the questions can ensure the candidates discuss environmental problems and steps to save Indonesian forests. (wir/wng)
