GENNUS.ID, JAKARTA – Denny Charter, Deputy Chairman of the National Leadership Council (Pimnas) of the Indonesian Awakening Party (PKN), delivered sharp criticism toward Victor Laiskodat, a member of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) from the NasDem Party. Laiskodat’s remarks downplaying the role of forests by claiming that “the ocean is the main producer of oxygen” were deemed a manipulation of science to justify deforestation in Papua.
Denny stressed that the statement was not merely a data error, but an act of “intellectual arrogance” that poses serious risks to the survival of Indigenous communities and global climate stability.
Manipulating Science for Oligarchic Interests
In his statement, Denny Charter highlighted how Laiskodat selectively used scientific facts to legitimize large-scale palm oil expansion under the incoming administration.
“It is true that phytoplankton contributes to the world’s oxygen supply. However, concluding that forests may therefore be destroyed is a foolish and reductionist logic,” Denny asserted.
He reminded the public that Papua’s forests act as a crucial carbon sink. Destroying them, he warned, would release a “carbon bomb” into the atmosphere and trigger permanent ecological disaster across Eastern Indonesia.
A Betrayal of Eastern Indonesia’s Identity
As a fellow figure concerned with Eastern Indonesia, Denny expressed disappointment that Laiskodat appeared to be speaking more for corporate interests than for the people he represents.
“It is deeply ironic to see a leader from the East becoming an instrument of environmental destruction against his own people. Indigenous communities in Papua and NTT share a profound spiritual connection with their forests. Supporting deforestation for palm oil is a direct betrayal of local wisdom,” he said.
Calls for Sanctions and a DPR Ethics Review
PKN urged relevant institutions not to remain silent in response to what they view as a misleading public statement. Denny delivered two key demands:
The DPR’s Ethics Council (Badan Kehormatan) must summon Victor Laiskodat, as his comments may violate ethical obligations related to environmental protection embedded in a legislator’s oath of office.
The NasDem Party should impose sanctions or at least issue a strong reprimand.
“If NasDem allows this anti-science narrative to stand, then the slogan ‘Restoring Indonesia’ becomes nothing more than a hollow phrase stained by deforestation,” Denny remarked.
A Troubling Signal for the Prabowo Administration
Denny also warned that Laiskodat’s perceived endorsement of palm oil expansion in Papua signals a willingness to become a “rubber stamp” for corporate interests. If Papua’s forests are sacrificed, he said, Indonesia’s reputation as one of the “lungs of the world” could be lost — replaced by the label “Exporter of Global Disasters.”
“Victor Laiskodat must relearn that humans cannot breathe the profits of palm oil when the ecosystem has collapsed,” he concluded. (Red)
