Bandung Mayor Furious Over Unauthorized Tree Felling, Threatens Criminal Charges

In Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, Mayor Farhan has expressed strong anger over the unauthorized felling of 10 trees in a public urban space, indicating that criminal charges are being considered against the business owner responsible. The incident came to light on Friday, July 31, during a surprise inspection by the mayor. The location, at the intersection of LLRE Martadinata Street (Riau Street) and Cihapit Street, features a padel court and a cafe. It is suspected that the trees were cut down to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the business premises. Mayor Farhan stated that such arbitrary tree felling is unacceptable and will not be tolerated, emphasizing that legal action will be taken. He particularly highlighted the violation of the moratorium on tree cutting issued by the Governor of West Java, and intends to raise this issue directly with the governor to pursue criminal prosecution. The mayor expressed his deep frustration over the felling of 10 trees, which appeared to have been carried out brazenly. He added, "We have issued a circular on the moratorium for tree cutting. This means two regulations have been violated. This is also considered a violation of environmental regulations, so we can report this to the Gakkum Lingkungan Kementerian." Furthermore, the mayor suggested that this incident may be reported not only as an environmental law violation but also to the Law Enforcement Division for Environmental Affairs (Gakkum Lingkungan Kementerian) of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Mayor Farhan speculated that the perpetrators might have acted with arrogance, believing they had strong backing, and stressed that the Bandung City Government will not overlook this matter. "We will prosecute first, yes. We will prosecute those who did it. Because they cut arbitrarily, they dared to do it. The one who cut this must have felt they had strong backing. This cannot stand, I will bring this to the Governor and to Gakkum Lingkungan Hidup," he said. According to Antara news agency, preliminary information suggests the felling occurred overnight between July 1 and the early hours of July 2. Some witnesses mentioned that the perpetrators were wearing uniforms, leading to initial suspicions that they might be officials. However, the identity of the responsible party is still under investigation. Mayor Farhan stated that the Bandung City Government will gather all evidence, including field documentation and witness testimonies from the surrounding area, to strengthen the legal process. Additionally, he urged the public, regional officials, and community protection officers (linmas) to immediately report any suspicious tree-felling activities they discover so that the government can take swift action.