IDNEWSNOW.COM, Jakarta – House of Representatives’ (DPR) law commission deputy from the National Mandate Party (PAN), Pangeran Khairul Saleh, on Wednesday said that he suspected a syndicate that issued mining permits exists within the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry (ESDM).
This syndicate, he argued, has taken advantage of the revised Law on Mineral and Coal Mining (UU Minerba), especially the regulations that oversee permits issued by regional administrations, which the authorities have been handed to the ministry.
“There are indications of the existence of this syndicate because there’s suddenly 20 mining permits issued by the ESDM,” said Saleh in the House hearing with the National Police Chief on June 16.
The former Banjar Regent in South Kalimantan said that the IUP or mining permits were subjected to a police investigation but local residents were not updated about the case’s development. He said that the locations of three out of 20 permits are in Banjar but he maintained that he never signed any of them while he was a Regent.
“But my signature is suddenly there,” he questioned. “I ask [for the perpetrators] to be arrested,” aiming his request to the National Police Chief.
Read: Jatam: Revoking Mining Permits in Kalimantan Prevents Future Floods
HUSSEIN ABRI
