PUBLICATIONS

In September 2018, President Joko Widodo issued Presidential Instruction No. 8 of 2018 concerning the Suspension and Evaluation of Palm Oil Plantation Permits and the Improvement of Palm Oil Plantation Productivity. This report highlights that during the first semester of its implementation, activities were mostly preparatory and coordinative without significant achievements, and the majority of provinces and districts with oil palm plantations had not responded to the Instruction. Conversely, there was a case of releasing forest areas for PT Hardaya Inti Plantations (PT HIP) in Buol, Central Sulawesi, which was indicated to be 'turning its back on' the Instruction, despite strong commitments from some regions like Aceh, Buol, and Sanggau through local policies.

The civil society coalition that prepared this report recommends that the central government allocate specific budgets for committed regions and develop a technical guidance document for the Instruction's implementation as a reference for local governments. It is also essential to establish a mechanism that prioritizes transparency regarding data, information, and updates on the Instruction's implementation so that it can be monitored and accessed by the public and civil society groups. Furthermore, a better and more systematic communication platform needs to be built between the national working team and local governments to simplify coordination and address implementation challenges.