PALMA SERASIH LANDCLEARING ORANGUTAN HABITAT
This is the location of palm oil plantations owned by PT. Global Primatama Mandiri (PT.GPM) which is a group of Palma Serasih. The company is currently conducting land clearing of forests orangutan habitat (based on data and maps of the Population and Habitat Viability Assessment by the Indonesian Orangutan Forum). PT GPM is located in Merapun village, Kelay subDistrict, Berau District, East Kalimantan. This company has been doing landclearing since 2017 until now. The location of their permit is located not far from the Lesan River Protection Forest. Through the Berau Regent Decree No. 343 of 2014, PT. GPM get an extension for oil palm plantations covering an area of 7400 hectares.
Not only PT. GPM, Palma Serasih has 11 other subsidiaries engaged in palm oil in Indonesia. The company is listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) with shares of PT Jalinankasih Sesama 41.38%, PT Serasih Holdico 35.01%, Budiono Tanbun 8.49%, DBS Bank Ltd SG 5,31, Society 9.81%, Budiono Tanbun Direksi 8.49%.
It is unfortunate that the Ministry of Environment and Forestry gave a company license to convert forests over orangutan habitat. This is hurting orangutan conservation activities in Indonesia where thousands of orangutans are in rehabilitation centers after losing their habitat and now they must return to the forest, but in fact the forests of orangutan habitat continue to decrease and make more conflict between humans and wildlife.