TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The vocal government critic and academic Rocky Gerung in a discussion on Wednesday said the statement on deforestation delivered by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at the United Nations climate change conference (COP 26) lacks the data to back the claims.

Gerung implied that Jokowi was unaware that European state officials were briefed with data on deforestation in Indonesia provided by Greenpeace.

“20 minutes prior to his speech, the entire European government officials were briefed by Greenpeace on Indonesia’s deforestation, so when he gave his speech people viewed them as lies,” said Rocky Gerung on November 11.

He also claimed the government officials in the global conference had already understood that Indonesia’s policy making is based on the Omnibus Law. Rocky Gerung claimed they all understood that the law will not be used to attract investments, but is a tool to destroy the environment and forests.

“This means democracy is also ruined by this Law, there is no democracy when we no longer collectively breathe the air with primates in the forest, or along with singing birds, that is the ideal for democracy should be,” said Gerung.

He even went as far to claim that the President kept silent about what he believes are lies because Jokowi is unaware of the issue in hand.

Read: Environment Minister Explains Jokowi's Order on Development, Deforestation

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