Kutai Kartanegara – As one of the efforts to preserve the environment and biodiversity, Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM) launched the Mahakam Pesut Endemic Conservation Program (Komik) in Pela Village, Bangun City, Kutai Kartanegara Regency. This program combines conservation with community empowerment to encourage local economic growth through community-based tourism. This tourism village conservation and development program received various awards at the national and Kalpataru levels at the provincial level.

The Mahakam dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) is an endemic fauna of the Mahakam River, protected by law. In 2020, this animal was critically endangered (CR) based on the IUCN Redlist. Based on data compiled with the Conservation Foundation for Rare Aquatic Species of Indonesia (RASI), from several factors causing the death of Mahakam dolphins, death due to entanglement in fishing gear, rengge, is the highest factor.

Head of Communication Relations & CID Zone 8, Frans Alexander A. Hukom, explained the company encourages increasing community knowledge and capacity in protecting the environment and the survival of Mahakam dolphins. "Through the Pela Tourism Village program, the company educates the importance of Mahakam dolphin conservation. The people who were originally hunting turned around to become managers of tourist villages in the Bekayuh Baumbai Bedaya Pokdarwis who protect Mahakam dolphins."

PHM, together with Pokdarwis, also established a fishermen's museum as a tourist education center, installed information boards in the conservation area, and paid attention to the boats used by visitors so as not to disturb the existence of Mahakam dolphins. The company also encouraged Pela Village to issue Village Regulation (Perdes) Number 2 of 2018 concerning the Prohibition of Less Environmentally Friendly Fishing Gear.

In addition, the company developed innovative acoustic pingers that are installed in the nets. This pinger emits sonar with a frequency that Mahakam dolphins can catch to avoid the area around fishing nets. This acoustic pinger innovation was developed from sound resonance modifications in seismic processes. Implementing acoustic pingers has reduced the number of Mahakam dolphins entangled in fishing nets.

Monitoring data up to 2022 shows the Mahakam Pesut Comics Program has contributed to preserving 85 Mahakam dolphins. Together with the Pela Tourism Village Development Program, this conservation is aligned with managing aspects of the Company's ESG and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals /SDGs Goal 14 Marine Ecosystems and Goal 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth.

The resulting multi-aspect achievements have earned Mahakam Pesut Comics various awards. In 2022, this program won 3rd place in the National Category of the Best Tourism Village Institution at the Indonesian Village Tourism Award 2022, Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia. Meanwhile, on June 15, 2023, this program again received appreciation through a Gold award from the 1st Indonesia GPR Awards held by Indonesian Public Relations in Makassar.

Meanwhile, in the 2023 Tourism Entrepreneurial Marketing Awards from Mark Plus Tourism, Pela Village Pokdarwis received a silver award in the Local Community Empowerment category and a bronze in the Digitalization category (15/7/23). Unmitigated, on the same day, the Pela Village Pokdarwis was also rewarded with the Kalpataru award at the East Kalimantan Provincial Level in 2023 in the Category of Environmental Rescuer in Samarinda.
Chairman of Pokdarwis Bekayuh Baumbai Be Budaya, Alimin, said the various awards received by Pokdarwis proved the company's and the community's commitment to environmental preservation. "The award we received cannot be separated from PHM's support for Pokdarwis and Pela Village," he said.

Kalimantan Regional Communication Relations & CID Manager, Dony Indrawan, said the company collaborates with all stakeholders, especially the community and the government, in carrying out the company's CSR programs to be able to create benefits and values ​​that are shared (creating shared value), including in the Mahakam Pesut Comics Program. And the development of Pela Tourism Village.

"Currently, as many as 15 people in Pokdarwis have become skilled tour guides, even for foreign tourists. At least Pela Village receives 200 tourists from various regions monthly," added Dony. In addition, this program has succeeded in driving the economy of 500 residents through managing lodging, developing MSMEs, and tourist attractions.
"To support the development of Pela Tourism Village, we also provide scholarships to Pela Village residents to continue their D4 Tourism education in Samarinda through the Coastal Scholarship Program," he concluded.

PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM) is a Subsidiary of PHI that carries out upstream oil and gas operations and business according to ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) principles in the Mahakam Working Area in East Kalimantan. With Subsidiaries and other PHI affiliates, PHM carries out innovative Social and Environmental Responsibility programs in Economy, Education, Health, Environment, Infrastructure, and Disaster Response to support sustainable community empowerment and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). PHI headquarters is in Jakarta. Further information on PHI is available at https://phi.pertamina.com.