Civil groups are calling for more transparency in the governance of the oil palm sector, saying that Indonesia could still maximize its revenue from the sector as research has calculated substantial potential state losses from the sector due to alleged tax evasion.

Transparency International Indonesia researcher Bellicia Angelica said that as oil palm continued to thrive as one of Indonesia’s top export commodities, the lack of integrated monitoring efforts by relevant stakeholders had left the sector vulnerable to corruption.

“There is no integrated palm oil management design among different ministries, [government] institutions and local governments,” said Bellicia in a discussion on Tuesday. “This could make the oil palm [sector] a fertile ground for corruption, particularly in the process of obtaining business permits.”

Source:
courtesy of THE JAKARTA POST

by A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil (The Jakarta Post)

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