Updates on 23-6-2013 @ 9:45 pm: Asia Pulp & Paper aka APP is a Singapore based company. It is founded by Eka Tjipta Widjaja, who had significant tie to the family of the ex-President of Indonesia, the late General Suharto. It was known to have appointed the PR firm Ogilvy & Mather to improve on its green image. The background of APP is in HERE.
Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Limited, aka APRIL, is a developer of fibre plantations and the owner of one of the world’s largest pulp and paper mills with operations mainly in Indonesia and China. APRIL is part of the Indonesian Raja Garuda Mas Group and owned by Indonesian business man Sukanto Tanoto living in Singapore. Raja Garuda Mas Group or conglomerate RGE Royal Golden Eagle or Royal Golden Eagle International (RGEI), is a holding company with its activities ranging from paper,palm oil, construction, and energy business sectors, owning papermaker April and palm oil firm Asian Agri. It is believed to be also well connected in Indonesia. It has been reported that APRIL is related to one of the eight companies involved in the open burning in RIAU recently, in HERE. The background of APRIL is in HERE.
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The Indonesian Environment Minister, Hon Balthasar Kambuaya, told a press conference in Jakarta today that “A preliminary report of an investigation conducted by the Environment Ministry has indicated eight palm oil plantation companies belonging to Malaysian investors involved in land burning in Riau.