VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) called on security authorities in Jambi on Sunday to seriously tackle illegal logging that still occurs in the Sumatran province.

"Please, the regional police chief stop it. Eradicate it," he said durimg a meeting with forest farmers at Kenali Pine Forest Park to distribute Social Forestry Decree certificate.

"Illegal logging still happens in all provinces. It is the task of law enforcers and the police to deal with it,` he said.

Complaint about the illegal activity was raised by Zulkipli, one of the farmers who comes from the district of Tebo.

"I call for the law to be enforced against the illegal loggers and their financiers. Do not let them freely carry out their activities," he said during a dialog with the president at the meeting.

Zulkipli is the chief of a cooperative entity in Tebo who received 500 hectares of social forest that he has so far used to grow "jengkol" or petai (parkia speciosa) trees.

"I have informed through whatsapp to the minister many times about it," he said.

"That is good. You can whatsapp the minister (Siti Nurbaya)," the President said in response.

"I am Jambi`s regional chief of Nasdem (National Democrat Party) farmers and I also have a duty to guard the forest," Zulkifli explained.

"I do not know about it," the President said.

Zulkipli said that he had also informed resort, regional police chiefs as well as the national police headquarters about the illegal logging so he wished the activity could really be stopped.

On the occasion he also asked for additional 2,000 hectares of forest for mangosten plantation.

"May I have the seed as I saw it developed well in West Sumatra. I ask for 2,000 hectares for mangosten development," he said.

"You are right. Mangosten exports demand is very high from Japan, China but it has not been fully met because all farmers plant oil palm. Mrs. Minister please check it. Check also the cooperative. We are glad to distribute land to the people but if it is neglected we will take it back," the President said. (ANTARA)