December 3, 2025 | 04:08 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The West Sumatra provincial government has issued a clarification regarding the origins of logs swept in by the recent flash floods in the region. Piles of timber were discovered along the Padang City coast as the floodwaters receded.
West Sumatra Secretary Arry Yuswandi stated that he personally inspected the sites. "The wood consists of trees that fell due to landslides, trees from land clearing that were washed away by the flood, and lumber from old shacks," Arry explained on Tuesday, December 2, 2025.
According to Arry, the upstream area of the Aek Dingin watershed suffered numerous landslides on its hills and riverbanks. The resulting debris and materials reportedly altered the river flow and caused damage to the surrounding environment.
Arry, however, did not confirm whether the upstream region was also affected by illegal logging. "The indication of illegal logging is currently under investigation," he told Tempo.
He emphasized that forest areas within Padang City are not designated for timber utilization. "There is no wood utilization permit in the forest areas of Padang City," he stated via a brief message.
Environmental Group Alleges Illegal Logging in Protected Forests
In contrast, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) of West Sumatra alleged that illegal logging is taking place in the protected and conservation forests of Bukit Barisan, which form the ridge of the Aek Dingin watershed upstream.
Observations based on satellite images from 2021 to 2025 indicate land clearing covering hundreds of hectares in the area. "We also found log piles from logging, like stockpiles along the road leading into the forest," the Chair of the Environmental Strengthening and Law Division of Walhi West Sumatra, Tomy Adam, told Tempo.
Tomy himself inspected Air Tawar Beach, where the floating logs were found. He noted that the logs were remarkably uniform in size, measuring 60 to 90 centimeters in diameter. Crucially, the wood was discovered with peeled bark and neatly cut, suggesting machine processing. There were no signs of branches or leaves on the surface of the timber.
Tomy suspects the wood belongs to the meranti species, a highly valuable commercial timber. "It is unlikely that these logs were simply washed away by the flood," Tomy asserted.
Read: Gov't to Summon Companies Suspected of Contributing to North Sumatra Floods
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