When former president Suharto had the power to determine the outflow of reforestation funds, the timber barons had a real party. Their methods included nepotism and collusion, which Soeripto, former secretary-general of the Ministry of Forestry, is suspected of being involved in.

A report into suspected corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN) was completed in 1999 under Muslimin Nasution, the then minister of forestry. According to the report,