JJP drops second SLAPP suit against Professor Bambang Hero
The palm oil company PT Jatim Jaya Perkasa (JJP) has withdrawn its USD 32.6 million lawsuit against Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) forestry professor Bambang Hero at the Cibinong District Court.
Expert scientific witness Professor Bambang Hero has twice faced legal actions from JJP, which has yet to pay court-ordered compensation and environmental restoration costs. (Photo: PALAPA POS/Istimewa)
The company has twice attempted to sue Professor Bambang in court for his expert testimony - once in a case filed in 2018, and again on 2 January this year.
However, as in the previous case, the Cibinong District Court's Case Tracking Information System (SIPP) has confirmed that JJP’s attorneys have once again withdrawn their latest legal action against the Maddox Prize recipient.
The reasons for the revocation are as yet uncertain. However, shortly after the lawsuit was filed the Indonesian authorities announced that they were taking immediate steps to accelerate the execution of the court order. At a press conference held on 15 January 2024, Rasio Ridho Sani, Director General of Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, suggested that JJP’s actions pointed towards the company’s unwillingness to voluntarily implement the actions ordered by the court.
"We have ordered the Director of Environmental Dispute Resolution to accelerate the execution,” Rasio Sani stated. “We will continue to fight environmental crimes with all existing administrative, civil and criminal instruments. We will execute all civil judgements that have a permanent decision, so that environmental losses can be restored."