Jakarta – After eight years of delays and setbacks, the revision of the 1990 Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation Law has finally been passed by Indonesia’s House of Representatives. The long-awaited change aims to provide stronger legal protection for the nation’s wildlife and environment.
On Tuesday morning, the House of Representatives held a plenary session led by Deputy Speaker Muhaimin Iskandar of the National Awakening Party (PKB). All nine House party factions approved the bill, marking a significant milestone in Indonesia’s environmental policy. The session also saw the attendance of Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar, who emphasized the importance of the law for sustainable natural resource use while supporting public welfare.
“The revision is crucial so our conservation principles can be applied based on the current situations in the field,” said Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar.
Budisatrio Djiwandono, deputy chair of House Commission IV overseeing environment and forestry, highlighted the necessity of the revision. He pointed to changes in global and national conservation paradigms and international environmental laws as key drivers.
“It is necessary to make an adjustment to nature conservation, including the government’s role and authority,” Budisatrio stated during the plenary session.
The revised law aims to clarify the roles of public and indigenous communities and ensure adequate funding for conservation activities. This change comes in response to the urgent need to protect endangered species like the Sumatran elephant, which has faced increasing threats from hunters and illegal traders.
The journey to revise the law began in 2016, sparked by the rising number of deaths among protected animals. At that time, the government felt the existing penalties—less than a year of imprisonment and fines under Rp 100 million (US$6,145)—were insufficient to deter illegal activities.
In December 2017, the House’s Legislation Body (Baleg) included the law’s revision in the 2018 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas) priority list. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo signed a presidential letter in March 2018 to greenlight the bill’s deliberation. However, the process stalled multiple times, including a significant delay in May 2018 when President Jokowi decided to halt the revision, arguing that the existing law sufficiently supported conservation efforts.
Despite these delays, the passage of the revised law represents a critical step forward for Indonesia’s conservation efforts. The new legislation aligns with contemporary conservation practices and strengthens the legal framework to protect the nation’s biodiversity.