SOEs Minister Donates Trees, Launches Green Campaign

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir planted and donated trees at the launching of Make Indonesia Green campaign (#BUMNHijaukanIndonesia) on Sunday, to commemorate the National Tree Planting Day celebrated every November 28.

"It has been state enterprises' duty to make Indonesia ‘green’. It proves that we -- local governments, all SOEs, and individuals -- love our earth," he stated on the live broadcast of the event.

According to Thohir, Indonesia is still acknowledged as one of the best countries doing the most to protect its forests, despite the fact that it has exploited natural resources for a long time.

Hence, he has assessed that the acknowledgement must be maintained.

In addition, the minister remarked that state enterprises will also support the acceleration of nature restoration movement initiated by President Joko Widodo at 30 locations throughout Indonesia.

"There are 111,000 trees which will be planted. We are going to check this every three months, whether the planting target is achieved or not. This is not only a plan, this is a joint commitment," he emphasized, adding that it shows the state companies’ support to preserve nature while increasing the economy of the local community.

"Later, we will manage five nursery locations. We will encourage the private sector to manage the remaining 25 locations," Erick Thohir said.

He has hoped that the #BUMNHijaukanIndonesia collaboration movement can also encourage the involvement other parties, including local governments and the younger generation.

"We should do it sincerely to show that we are responsible for our future. We have to prove it to the world. Hence, we should talk a little and work a lot," he added.

Read: Minister Erick Thohir Urges SOEs to Go Public

ANTARA