The Jakarta Post
Environmentalists and development planners are raising their voice over the government’s plan to scrap the requirement for building permits (IMB) and environmental impact analyses (Amdal) as part of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s deregulations efforts to up the economy and attract investments. Environmental group Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) lambasted the government’s plan, arguing that eliminating the IMB and Amdal would further harm the environment and people’s safety. Walhi campaigner Edo Rahman said the government’s plan was to accommodate foreign investors, including those from China, without considering the environmental impact. “We believe that the government is destroying our environment by using foreign investment, when it should be protecting our natural resources by improving the overall ...