Following the Sumatran Disaster, the PKH Task Force was deployed to investigate alleged illegal logging.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The Forest Area Enforcement Task Force has begun to be deployed to investigate allegations of illegal logging as a trigger for the severe flooding and landslides in three provinces in Sumatra. This investigation has become a focus for the government in addition to disaster response efforts, which have so far claimed more than 600 lives.

"The Forest Area Enforcement Task Force has already intervened to investigate the alleged logging activities that have been carried away by the floodwaters. The government continues to trace the parties suspected of violations through satellite imagery analysis," said the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Pratikno, during a press conference at the National Disaster Management Post in Sumatra, at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base, Jakarta, Wednesday (3/12/2025).

In addition to Pratikno, the press conference was also attended by Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, Commander of the National Armed Forces General Agus Subiyanto along with the three chiefs of staff, and Chief of Police General Listyo Sigit Prabowo.

Images of logs swept away by floodwaters are visible in many areas affected by the disaster in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. In Aceh, for instance, a large number of logs can be seen in Meureudu, Pidie Jaya. In North Sumatra, they are observed in Batang Toru and Tukka Village, Central Tapanuli. Meanwhile, in West Sumatra, they can be seen at Lake Singkarak in Nagari Muaro Pingai, Solok Regency, as well as at Padang Beach and Air Tawar Beach in Padang.

The Forest Area Enforcement Task Force (Satgas PKH) was established by President Prabowo through Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 5 of 2025. It consists of personnel from various law enforcement agencies and ministries/institutions. This task force is led by the Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes of the Attorney General's Office, Febrie Adriansyah, accompanied by the Chief of General Staff of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, the Head of the Criminal Investigation Agency of the National Police, and the Deputy for Investigation of the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP).

Listyo Sigit Prabowo added that he has coordinated with the Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni regarding the alleged illegal logging as a trigger for disasters in Sumatra. According to the plan, tomorrow his team will hold a meeting with the Minister of Forestry to discuss this matter further.

"Tomorrow there will be a meeting to deploy a joint team to conduct an investigation and in-depth examination. If there are legal violations, we will take action," he added.

Teddy Indra Wijaya also ensured that the government will seriously investigate the potential environmental damage factors that exacerbate disasters in Sumatra. This focus aligns with the government's efforts to address disasters.

"Along with evacuation and disaster management as the main focus, the government is conducting a comprehensive evaluation and investigation regarding this disaster," said Teddy.

Calls for the government to investigate the causes of the disaster in Sumatra have previously been expressed by various parties. One of them is the Deputy Chairman of Commission V of the DPR from the National Awakening Party (PKB), Syaiful Huda. He urged an investigation into the triggers of the disaster in Sumatra to determine whether the disaster occurred solely due to ecological issues or because of extreme weather.

"This is important so that in the future we can learn from it and anticipate and minimize the potential for major disasters in the future," he said.

During a working meeting with Commission XII of the DPR in Jakarta this afternoon, Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq stated that legal actions and approaches will be taken against several parties that contributed to environmental damage in the flooding and landslides in Sumatra.

"Regarding the disasters occurring in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh, we must not solely blame nature. These disaster events are not solely caused by natural factors. In this situation, all parties responsible for contributing to the additional damage in this case must be held legally accountable," said Hanif.

An evaluation of environmental permits in the Batang Toru area will also be conducted, particularly concerning the available environmental capacity. "On Monday, all company leaders who are indicated, based on satellite imagery studies, to have contributed to the logs present in the flood will be invited for clarification processes at the Deputy for Law Enforcement. After that, we will promptly initiate investigative steps," he stated.

Hanif continued, the Batang Toru River Basin (DAS) has a very vulnerable area characteristic with a "V"-shaped landscape. With this characteristic, the carrying capacity and environmental capacity in the hilly area are no longer adequate. Therefore, during extreme rainfall, the risk of flooding and landslides is unavoidable.

He explained that the reduction of forest cover in the Batang Toru watershed from 1990 to 2024 reached approximately 19,000 hectares. During the same period, the reduction of forest cover in Aceh Province was around 14,000 hectares, and the reduction in West Sumatra Province was 10,521 hectares.

The Executive Director of Walhi Aceh, Ahmad Solihin, stated in a press release that the flooding occurring in Sumatra conveys a message that nature can no longer bear the burden of damage imposed by humans. The disaster this time is not merely a natural phenomenon, but an ecological disaster resulting from weak government policies.

"This disaster is not only a natural phenomenon but also an ecological disaster produced by government policies that are neglectful, permissive, and facilitate the destruction of the living space of the community through extractive investments that are greedy for space," he stated.