goodmorningpapua.com – The Regent of Sorong, West Papua, Johny Kamuru stated that he revoked the permits of four palm oil plantation companies in his government area because they didn’t meet the procedures or those companies violated and did not comply with procedural provisions.
Kamuru made this statement while attending a trial for a lawsuit filed by the company at the Jayapura State Administrative Court (PTUN), in Jayapura City, Papua with a preparatory examination agenda, Tuesday (24/8/2021).
The four companies whose licenses were canceled by the Regent of Sorong, namely PT Cipta Papua Plantation. This company’s location is in the Mariat and Sayosa Districts, with a location of 15,671 hectares (ha). PT Inti Kebun Lestari in Salawati, Klamono and Segun Districts with an area of 34,400 ha, PT Papua Lestari Abadi in Segun District with an area of 15,631 ha, and PT Sorong Agro Sawitindo in Segun, Kwalak and Klamono with a land area of 40,000 ha.
The Regent of Sorong officially revoked the palm oil plantation licences of the four companies on April 27, 2021. The canceled licences were in the form of location licence, environmental licence, business licence and plantation licence.
The policy for permit revocation is based on recommendations from the results of the study and findings of the regional government and the national strategy team for preventing corruption, on violations of laws and regulations, terms and conditions in the Plantation Business Permit (IUP). This national strategy team consists of ministries and agencies.
The companies apparently did not comply with the obligations in the IUP. The companies does not carry out reporting obligations on plantation business developments, changes in share ownership, and management of expired location permits, as well as irregularities in the issuance of IUP.
The findings from the team’s study were followed up by the Regent of Sorong by revoking the licences of the four companies. However, three companies filed a lawsuit to the Jayapura Administrative Court. The companies are PT Inti Kebun Lestari, PT Papua Lestari Abadi, and PT Sorong Agro Sawitindo.
In its lawsuit, the company sued the Regent of Sorong, Johny Kamuru and the Head of the Sorong Regency Investment and One Stop Service Office. The lawsuit has been registered to the Jayapura Administrative Court. He said the local government had given permits to companies there. However, there is no good intention of the company, the using of the permit is not according to its designation.
He added that there were a number of other rules that his institution used as a basis. Among them, the Sorong Regency Regional Regulation Number 10 of 2017 concerning the Recognition and Protection of the Moi Customary Law community. Meanwhile, the Sorong Regency Government’s legal team, Piter Ell said that his party together with the Sorong Regent, the Regional Secretary, and the regional government attended the trial. However, the litigants did not come. He said the litigants filed a separate lawsuit. The day before, his party had also attended the trial for a preparatory examination.