Samarinda, 4th December 2025 – In commemoration of World Anti-Corruption Day, the East Kalimantan High Prosecutor’s Office (Kejati Kaltim) organized a Panel Discussion on Governance and Law Enforcement in the Coal Mining Sector in early December in Samarinda. This event served as a strategic forum for law enforcement officials, academics, and civil society to discuss challenges and initiatives to strengthen governance in East Kalimantan’s mining sector.
The event was opened by Dr. Supardi, S.H., M.H., Head of the East Kalimantan High Prosecutor’s Office, who emphasized the importance of cross-stakeholder synergy in preventing corrupt practices and governance violations in the natural resources sector, particularly coal mining, which carries high risks of state losses, environmental damage, and social conflicts.
Administrative Law Enforcement Perspective in the Mining Sector
As the first presenter, Andri Budhiman Firmanto, Director of Dispute Resolution and Administrative Sanctions at the Directorate General of Law Enforcement (Ditjen Gakkum) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), explained the administrative law enforcement framework in the mining sector. He outlined mechanisms for dispute resolution, the application of administrative sanctions, and various implementation challenges in the field.
In his presentation, he highlighted ongoing issues, including non-compliance with reclamation and post-mining obligations, licensing problems, and the need for valid data and reports to support law enforcement decisions. Administrative law enforcement is seen as a key instrument to encourage company compliance before escalating to criminal proceedings.
The following presentation was delivered by Prof. Dr. Muhamad Muhdar, S.H., M.Hum., an academic from the Faculty of Law at Mulawarman University, who reviewed governance and law enforcement challenges in mining from an educational and legal perspective. He stressed the importance of legal certainty, policy consistency, and strengthening the role of local governments in mining oversight. Prof. Muhdar also highlighted the need to integrate policies, law enforcement, and the protection of community rights, given that mining impacts are economic, social, and environmental.
Data Transparency and the Role of Public Oversight
In the following session, Meliana Lumbantoruan, Deputy Director of PWYP Indonesia, delivered a presentation emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability as the core foundation for fair and sustainable mining governance. Meliana described the state of coal mining governance in East Kalimantan, characterized by large-scale production, significant concession areas, and complex licensing processes. According to her, these conditions pose a high risk of non-transparent practices if not balanced by a robust oversight system.
East Kalimantan is a strategic national coal mining region. Without data transparency and adequate public oversight, the potential for repeated governance violations will continue, directly impacting communities and the environment,” said Meliana Lumbantoruan.
PWYP Indonesia stresses that the openness of data on licensing and production, and on state revenues, is a crucial prerequisite for effective law enforcement. In this context, Meliana highlighted the role of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the use of Indonesia’s EITI Extractive Data Portal as strategic tools to support law enforcement and community oversight.
“Open data is not for blaming, but for prevention. When data is accessible, the public, academics, and law enforcement authorities can work from the same information base,” she added.
Meliana also underscored several ongoing issues, including discrepancies between production data and the Annual Work and Budget Plan (RKAB), weak compliance with reclamation and post-mining obligations, and limited public information on follow-up actions for violations. Furthermore, she emphasized the importance of opening and strengthening reporting channels for civil society and affected communities so that cases and concerns related to mining governance can be submitted and addressed transparently.
As the panel’s closing session, a representative from JATAM East Kalimantan presented the civil society perspective based on on-the-ground monitoring. JATAM highlighted the impacts of mining on the environment and community livelihoods, as well as the importance of protecting citizens who voice these issues. JATAM stressed that public participation should not stop at discussion forums but must be followed by safe, responsive complaint mechanisms with clear follow-up.
Strengthening Collaboration for Equitable Governance
This panel discussion affirmed that strengthening governance and law enforcement in the coal mining sector requires sustained collaboration among law enforcement, government, academia, and civil society. Data transparency, consistent law enforcement, and public participation are key elements in preventing corruption and governance violations in the extractive sector.
Through this event, Kejati Kaltim, together with stakeholders, is expected to promote more accountable, transparent mining practices that prioritize community interests and environmental sustainability, particularly in East Kalimantan.
Writer: Meliana Lumbantoruan