Officials claim that Indonesian President did not consult the energy ministry before revoking China's hydro permit.

Eniya Listeiani Dewi said that the Indonesian energy ministry had not been consulted before the President Prabowo decided to revoke a permit for a 'China-backed'?hydroelectric plant on Sumatra Island.

The government announced on Tuesday that 28 companies had their permits revoked for environmental violations. These were alleged to have worsened the deadly floods of last year in Sumatra.

The companies include PT North Sumatra Hydro Energy (NSHE), which operates the Batangtoru Hydropower facility. The company is owned by China's SDIC Power Holdings Co. Ltd.

Eniya Dewi, a reporter at the time, said that she had not been told why the permit was revoked or what type of permit it actually was.

Environmental activists have long called for the hydropower project to be halted because of its ecological destruction on the island.

Requests for comments from the presidential office or NSHE were not immediately responded to.

Barita Simanjuntak, spokesperson for the forestry task force, said on Thursday that the energy ministry was part of the task force and had to be involved in the decision-making process. (Reporting and editing by David Stanway, Ananda Terresia, Bernadette Cristina)

(source: Reuters)