Prabowo Targets 70,000 Forest Rangers, Only 4,500 Realized
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- Presiden Prabowo Subianto mengungkapkan hanya ada 4.500 polisi hutan untuk mengawasi puluhan juta hektare kawasan hutan di seluruh Indonesia.
- Pemerintah mengajukan penambahan hingga 70 ribu personel, namun baru 21 ribu yang bisa diakomodasi pada 2027 karena keterbatasan anggaran.
- Menteri Kehutanan Raja Juli Antoni meminta Kementerian Keuangan dan Kementerian PANRB mempercepat proses penambahan personel sesuai ketentuan.
President Prabowo Subianto is targeting an increase in the number of forest rangers to 70,000 personnel. Currently, only 4,500 personnel are available to oversee Indonesia's entire forest area, which spans tens of millions of hectares. Prabowo made the statement at the handover of Rp13.2 trillion in forestry administrative fines at the Attorney General's Office on Tuesday (6/10).
In his remarks, Prabowo praised the hard work of the Forest Area Enforcement Task Force (Satgas PKH), which operates in difficult terrain. As a former soldier, he said he understood the challenges faced by officers in forests, mountains, and swamps. However, he was surprised by the very small number of forest rangers. "To guard tens of millions, there are only 4,500 forest rangers. How do we deal with illegal loggers? How do we deal with those who burn forests? We will keep improving," he said.
Prabowo revealed that he had submitted a request for additional personnel to Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara. However, budget constraints mean the realization will be gradual. "Of the 70,000, only 21,000 can be reached in 2027. That means it may take 3-4 years for us to reach 70,000," he explained. He also highlighted similar needs at other agencies, such as customs, which oversees hundreds of ports and airports, as well as other security personnel.
Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni welcomed the President's commitment. According to him, additional personnel are crucial to strengthening forest monitoring and protection. "We hope the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of PANRB can immediately process this need for additional personnel in accordance with applicable regulations," Raja Juli said.
The addition of forest rangers is crucial amid rampant illegal logging, forest fires, and land conflicts. With the current ratio, one forest ranger must oversee around 20,000 hectares—an unrealistic burden. The target of 70,000 personnel is equivalent to one officer per 1,300 hectares, far more adequate for law enforcement and preventing environmental damage.
However, the recruitment and training process takes time. The government needs to ensure the budget covers not only salaries but also infrastructure, transportation, and monitoring technology. Without such support, adding personnel will not be effective. Going forward, the success of this target will depend on policy synchronization among the Ministry of Forestry, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of PANRB. Can the government accelerate the realization before forest damage worsens?
