Durian – Law enforcers of the Indonesian Forestry and Environmental Ministry have arrested and declared a 36-year old man as a suspect of forest clearing at Bukit Mangkol National Park in Central Bangka regency, Bangka Belitung Islands province, the ministry said on Wednesday.
The man is businessman who officers believed has cleared about 2.23 hectare land inside the national park that is a protected forest. He is alleged had caused environmental damage and cut off the flow of a river there. Bukit Mangkol National Park lies on about 6,000 hectare areas.
He is facing maximum punishment to 10 years of imprisonment and fine as much as 5 billion rupiah or about 688,000 US dollar if found guilty under Indonesian Law on Forestry.
Law enforcers have been investigating other cases also similar to the 36-year old man’s case, according Yazid Nurhuda, director for law enforcement of the ministry.
The suspect is now detained in Salemba penitentiary in Central Jakarta.
