National

Wood Imported to Aceh Must Be Coordinated with the Forestry Minister
Thursday, 21 April, 2005 | 01:54 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Social Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah has said that wood imported for reconstruction process in the province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam must be first coordinated with Minister of Forestry M.S. Kaban.

“There has to be coordination with the Minister of Forestry, especially with the current efforts to eradicate illegal logging,” said Chamsyah following a press conference with actor Jackie Chan and friends at the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Previously, Aceh’s caretaker governor Azwar Abu Bakar had intended to campaign in order to get support in terms of wood from neighboring countries.

This was aimed at preserving forests in Aceh following the tsunami disaster.

With the support of the Greenomics NGO, Abu Bakar is scheduled to hold campaigns in four countries during the next six to 12 months.

During the first stage, the anticipated target is 1.2 million cubic meters of wood.

“We now require about 8 million cubic meters of wood for reconstruction purposes,” Greenomics Executive Director Elfian Effendi told Tempo sometime ago.

Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Alwi Shihab has already approved Abu Bakar’s plan.

According to Effendi, Shihab has sent letters to the Minister of Trade to provide dispensation as regards tariffs or non-tariffs on the imported wood.
(Ami Afriatni-Tempo News Room)