Extractive resource wealth need to manage transparently and accountable for people welfare. That was what lies behind PWYP Indonesia in organizing the first National Conference on Extractive Resource Governance, entitled “Extracting the Future: Extractive Resource Governance for Sustainable Development,” last Tuesday (17/11).

Maryati Abdullah, National Coordinator of PWYP Indonesia in her speech said that need to change our mindset in seeing the natural resources. “Natural resources are not commodity that can sell as state revenue, but as a development asset,” said Maryati. The natural resources are transformed to improve the quality of human resource and also manage with accountable, transparent, and just for balance and environment supporting capacity.

Emil Salim, Keynote Speaker in conference said, oil and gas sector is not transparent. The lack of transparency in oil and gas sector is caused by there are a few people who understand the technical of mining practice. Emil also highlighted the aspect of decentralization which was enlarge the corruption.

“After the regent release the mining licenses, there is a conspiracy between mining businessmen and local government related to campaign fund. That’s why transparency become key to eradicate corruption in extractive sector,” explained by Salim.

This conference also attended by speakers from secretariat of Extraktive Transparency Industry Initiative (EITI) Indonesia, Presidential Staff President of Indonesia, Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Ministry of Internal Affairs, Local government of Bojonegoro District, Indragiri Hulu District, Corruption Eradication Commission, Local government of Aceh Province, East Java Province, East Kalimantan Province, and Civil Society Organizations.