Jakarta – Logs washed away by floodwaters in Sumatra are now attracting public attention. Daniel Johan, chairman of the PKB DPP, said that his party will review the formation of a special committee (pansus) on illegal logging to investigate allegations of forest destruction in Sumatra. “We will coordinate and consult the leadership and factions to get input and views on the need for a special committee on illegal logging or forest destruction,” Daniel said when asked on Tuesday (2/12/2025). This member of Commission IV of the DPR believes that the existence of a special committee on illegal logging is important to uncover various factors in the disaster that has hit residents in Aceh, West Sumatra and North Sumatra. The special committee, Daniel said, can also be used to evaluate government development policies, especially those related to environmental sustainability aspects. Scroll to continue content “The Special Committee is also important to evaluate all existing development policies and it is cross-ministerial, including the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Forestry and other stakeholders,” explained Daniel. On the one hand, Daniel also appreciated the government’s response in dealing with natural disasters in Aceh and Sumatra. However, he said that Commission IV will summon the Minister of Forestry this week Thursday (4/12) to get a more detailed explanation about the natural disasters that occurred in Sumatra and Aceh, including the appearance of logs after floods occurred in the area. “Commission IV certainly supports disclosure efforts and in-depth investigation to find the cause of the logs that were part of the flash flood that occurred and take firm legal action against the perpetrators,” said Daniel. Logs are known to have been carried away by the current during the Sumatran floods. This large collection of wood was also in the spotlight of members of the DPR RI. The video of the logs went viral on social media. Many netizens have linked the logs to illegal logging practices that exacerbate floods and landslides. Flash floods brought piles of logs to South Tapanuli, Central Tapanuli and Sibolga districts. Not only in North Sumatra, as reported by Antara, Saturday (29/11), logs were also scattered on Air Tawar Beach, Padang, West Sumatra (Sumbar). (yangs/idn)