Jakarta, Ekuatorial – Ministry of Environment and Forestry arrested a man allegedly involved in forest fires, in Pekanbaru, Riau, on Wednesday (14/1). Mastur alias Asun, Director of PT Kurnia Subur, has been named as suspect along with his colleague, Darmalis alias Malis, for illegally burning 300 hectares of lands to prepare for oil palm plantation in his concession areas located in Jum’at island village, Indragiri Hulu district, Riau, back in 2011.
“Today [Wednesday], civil servants of ministry of environment and forestry, police crime unit, Pekanbaru airport immigration, and Riau police managed to arrest Mastur alias Asun, at Pekanbaru Airport before making a trip abroad. At the moment, the suspect will be spending the night at Sialang Bungkuk Penitentiary, in Pekanbaru,” said Himsar Sirait, deputy of environmental law enforcement at the ministry in a press release.
They received information on the suspect in the city and had already deployed in Jan. 12 to make the arrest. However, the other suspect is still on the wanted list. Both suspects were about to face trials at Indragiri Hulu Court before managed to run away. In 2013, they have issued arrest warrants on both men and placed them into the wanted list.
“They will be handed to Rengat Court along with evidences [of land fires],” said Sirait adding that they would be liable for the 2009 Environmental Protection and Management Law. Ekuatorial