Jakarta, 2 October 2018- Currently Riau is one of the richest province in Indonesia, and its resources are dominated by natural resources, especially oil, gas, rubber, palm oil, and fiber plantation. But Deforestation is on the rise and has decreased the area of the forest significantly from 78% in 1982 to 33% in 2005. On average 160.000 hectares of forest has been cut down every year, leaving 22% or 2,45 million hectares in 2009. Deforestation with the goal of opening up palm oil plantation and paper production has caused a fog of smoke that is very bothersome to appear in this province for years, and has spread to neighboring countries like Malaysia and Singapore. In lieu of that, there needs to be efforts to save the forest of Riau.
Other than that, there are issues in budget transparency which is still a polemic in the province of Riau where they are hindered with information transparency regarding to budget, and land management problems. With that problem in mind The Asia Foundation through its Save the Forest and Land through Management Repair (SETAPAK) ask the people especially the people of Riau to demand their rights to be involved in the whole budgeting process, right from the planning, discussing, implementation of the budget and the evaluation. With the spirit of the people in pushing for openness to the local Government of the district of Pelalawan, Riau to fix and form an integrated service (PPID Utama) so that service for information can be accessed by the public through 1 gateway under the DISKOMINFO Pelalawan District. The SETAPAK program also invites the people to fight to realize justice and conservation management of the forest in Riau for the continuity of the Riau forest management.
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About the SETAPAK Program
Since its inception in 2011 with the support of the UK Climate Change Unit (UKCCU), the Save the forest and land through repairs with management program (SETAPAK) The Asia Foundation believes that management of forestry and land is the key to build a sustainable forest sector that can spread the wealth among the people near the forest and conserving the environment. Besides decreasing gas emission to mitigate global warming, this program helps to decentralize forest and land management in Indonesia to ensure transparency and accountability in managing, protecting, and distributing the benefits of natural resources to reach a fair and equal economic growth.
For further info, please contact:
Ika Fitriyanti
PR Consultant
Fortune PR
E: ika@fortunepr.com
T:+628128128793
Fadila Ayu Hapsari
Program Officer
SETAPAK II Program
E: fadilaayu.hapsari@asiafoundation.org
T:+62 811 916 3777