Indonesian lawmakers want President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to reopen the country’s forests to palm oil plantations and are threatening to freeze the budget for reforestation should the deforestation moratorium stay until 2014. The two-year moratorium on new forestry permits was issued in line with Norway’s commitment for a $1-billion conservation assistance where Indonesia has to show verifiable proof of reduced deforestation. There will be no pay-out until Indonesia proves effective reforestation efforts. But United Development Party solon Romahurmuzy said the Norwegian assistance is not worth it compared to the economic potential in the forest sector in the form of jobs and income from palm oil plantation permits.
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