WWF Indonesia on the Govt's Arbitrary Partnership Termination

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - WWF Indonesia claims there are oddities in the termination of its partnership with the Environment and Forestry Ministry (KLHK), which was mentioned in the Minister’s decree No.32/Menlhk/Setjen/KUM.1/1/2020 dated January 10. 

WWF Indonesia board of trustees chairman, Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, said the oddities lie in the arrival of two separate letters from the KLHK Ministry on October 7, 2019, with the first letter dated March 28, 2019, and October 4, 2019. The first letter was KLHK’s evaluation of WWF Indonesia’s performance and the latter was the termination to face the KLHK.

“Both letters had different dates but came to us on October 7, 2019,” said Kuntoro in his press release on January 28, 2020. 

He said the WWF Indonesia already responded to the first letter, which had an apology printed in its opening and asked for an explanation regarding the evaluation. However, what came afterward was the partnership termination in a letter signed by the KLHK legal bureau head Maman Kusnandar and signed by the Forestry and Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya on January 10, 2020. 

“Whether it seemed fast or slow is relative. But the fact remains, we received the letters on the same day,” said Kuntoro. 

WWF Indonesia director of communication, Elis Nurhayati, added that the organization had double-checked in March 2019 whether the KLHK had already sent the letter before October 7, but it turns out there were none. 

MOH KHORY ALFARIZI