FROM a restaurant on the 60th floor of the UOB Plaza in Singapore, the words of wisdom came from Sukanto Tanoto. “Scandinavians plant trees for their grandchildren. Americans plant trees for their children. In Indonesia, you plant trees for yourself,” said Sukanto, to the Business Times Singapore in April.

The argument put up by the boss of the Raja Garuda Mas Group was simple. According to Sukanto, trees in Indonesia only need six to seven