Corruption in Forest Area Use Permits (PPKH): Law Enforcement and Environmental Damage

Abstract

Forest Area Utilization Approval (PPKH) constitutes a mandatory legal instrument for mining activities conducted within forest areas in Indonesia. Normatively, the PPKH regime is designed to ensure legal compliance, environmental protection, and administrative control over forest area utilization under the authority of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. However, the implementation of PPKH continues to face licensing corruption, weak law enforcement, and environmental damage resulting from mining activities. This research aims to analyze PPKH governance and its reform through an examination of legal norms, institutional practices, and the resulting socio-ecological impacts. This socio-legal research employs statutory and case approaches to PPKH-related regulations, supported by empirical examinations of corruption cases, law enforcement practices, and evidence of environmental damage caused by mining activities in forest areas, alongside a comparative approach involving Brazil and Malaysia. The findings indicate that regulatory fragmentation, broad discretionary authority in permit issuance, and weak institutional accountability create structural vulnerabilities to corruption and undermine the effectiveness of environmental law enforcement. These conditions contribute to deforestation, ecosystem degradation, and inadequate protection of forest areas. This research underscores the need for integrated legal reform, oversight, and law enforcement to promote accountability and sustainability in PPKH governance.