The Story of the Pioneer of the Paper Forest in Karawang, Must Sell a Car to Run a Business

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an economic impact on various business sectors, especially the tourism sector. One of them is experienced tours that offer outdoor activities, namely the Paper Forest.

The founder of the Kertas Firdaus Forest, Hoerul Baqi, admitted that his party had to be extra creative and efficient in keeping this tourist destination sustainable. "I had to sell cars and motorbikes (official motorbikes) to cover operational costs," he said. The man who is familiarly called Daus explained that before the pandemic his party spent operating costs and spending up to Rp 5 million per day. “Right now, we're really keeping the costs down. During weekdays during the pandemic, operational costs that come out are Rp. 300,000 to Rp. 400,000 per day," he said. Located in Gintung Village, Kutamekar Village, Karawang, West Java, right on the side of the Karawang Timur 2 Toll Road exit, Hutan Kertas started with the foresight of local youths to capture the potential of Pindo Deli land which is greened by stands of eucalyptus and acacia. Daus said the shady area with neat rows of trees had long been a favorite location for residents – especially teenagers – to chat, starting from just stopping, gathering, or camping. In his proposal to the company in 2017, Daus proposed Hutan Kertas as the name of the place so that permits are easier to obtain. "Starting from the many raw materials for paper, we were inspired from there," he said. This was also welcomed by the land owner, namely PT Pindo Deli Pulp and Paper Mills. The Sinar Mas subsidiary has granted a land use permit on condition that it is well managed, maintained and ready to release it if the company needs the land at any time

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