TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Member of Indonesian House Commission IV, Usman Husin, calls for the resignation of Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, following the ecological disaster in three Sumatra provinces. The floods and landslides in late November have wrecked much of Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.
Usman criticized the minister for his lack of competence in the forestry sector. "I'm asking you, Pak Minister, if you're not capable, step down. Pak Minister doesn't understand about forestry," said Usman during a working meeting at the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday, December 4, 2025.
The PKB politician said the disasters in Sumatra cannot be resolved by blaming the previous administration. According to him, the responsibility lies with the current state officials.
He questioned how long it would take to replant the deforested areas, noting how trees with over two-meter diameter cannot grow back quickly. "That's the responsibility of the current minister. Don't shift the blame," Usman added.
The lawmaker maintained that all permits to clear forest areas in Sumatra must be frozen. "Don't you see the disasters in Sumatra, Pak Minister? The permits must all be halted," he said.
Usman also criticized the contradictory statements Raja Juli Antoni made in comparison with the policies he runs. In October, Usman claimed, Raja Juli complained about forest management permits in South Tapanuli, but on November 20, he issued the permits.
"It turns out that the permits were issued on November 20. So, the minister's statements are not at all consistent," said Usman. "It seems that we can be manipulated."
"I once again ask for Pak Minister to focus on these three provinces. When can the trees be replanted to restore the deforested areas?" he added.
After a working meeting with House Commission IV, Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni expressed his willingness to be evaluated in regards with the floods and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. He said he accepts the public criticism as an aspiration and expectation of his performance at the Ministry of Forestry.
"My responsibility is to work as best as I can," he said on Thursday, December 4, 2025.
He also responded to public pressure demanding his resignation following the disasters that had wreaked havoc in northern Sumatra. Raja Juli said his current post is his destiny.
"I believe that power belongs to God," he said, adding that his dismissal is also the head of state's prerogative right.
Novali Panji contributed to the writing of this article
Read: Initial Findings Point to Illegal Logging Behind Sumatra Floods
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