Photo / Illustration / Doc.SINDOnews / Ali Masduki
TULUNGAGUNG – The implementation of the Omnibus Law or the Job Creation Law is of concern to environmental activist groups because it is thought to exacerbate environmental damage. The Omnibus Law is considered to have stretched toll roads for mining, plantation and extractive industry businesses, which will increasingly clear forests for investment purposes.
Executive Director of the NGO PPLH (Center for Environmental Education) Mangkubumi Tulungagung, Muhammad Ichwan, urged the government to immediately cancel it. “Cancel the Omnibus LawAct as soon as possible,” said Ichwan in his release statement on Friday (9/9/2020).
PPLH Mangkubumi also sees the reasons why the omnibus law deserves to be rejected. Many controversial articles that harm the people. It is not only the issue of employment which is considered to be impartial to workers, as well as law enforcement which is increasingly blunt. But also articles regarding the environment.
“Instead of ensuring the preservation of nature, several articles contradict this on the pretext of boosting investment,” said Ichwan. Ichwan who is also an activist for the Independent Forestry Monitoring Network (JPIK) gave an example of Article 88 in Law no. 32/2009 concerning Protection and Management of the Environment.
The article that could deter perpetrators of forest and land burners, in the Omnibus Law, the narrative that functions as a net effect, has been removed. Then also Article 93, whose clause contains public participation, is also removed in the Omnibus Law. “Likewise about law enforcement, in the Omnibus Law there are many articles that abolish criminal sanctions,” explained Ichwan.
An example of an article that regulates criminal sanctions for corporations that violate it, and in the Omnibus Lawit is replaced by administrative sanctions, is article 105 of Law no. 39/2014 concerning Plantation. Corporations proven to have violated the plantation business are no longer subject to a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp. 10 billion.
“This means that with the implementation of the Omnibus Law, the potential for environmental damage will be even more massive. Likewise with human rights violations and the seizure of customary land around plantation permits managed by corporations,” said Ichwan. Therefore, on the consideration of the benefit of the people and the sustainability of the environment and forestry, PPLH Mangkubumi urged the government to immediately revoke the Omnibus Law.
Source : sindonews.com
