Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – Civil society from four organizations assess the state, the Indonesian government has been dictated by corporations in managing the mining sector, especially in the minerals and coal sector.
This is reflected in the contents of the proposed revision of Government Regulation (PP) No. 1/2014 regarding the implementation of mineral and coal mining business activities proposed by the Acting Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.
The combined civil society from the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI), Publish What You Pay (PWYP), Indonesia for Global Justice (IGJ) and the Mining Advocacy Network (JATAM) hopes that the revisions proposed by Minister Luhut will not be carried out.
Head of the WALHI Campaign and Network Expansion Department Khalisah Khalid is of the opinion that the content of the proposed revision of PP No 1/2014 provides concessions for mining companies to export without building smelters.
“We consider this policy only benefits mining corporations. They continue to deplete Indonesia’s natural wealth and destroy the environment, “Khalisah said at a press conference on Tuesday (11/10) afternoon.
JATAM Campaign Head, Melky Nahar, explained that the rules regarding the obligations of mining companies to build smelters have actually been regulated in ESDM Regulation No. 11/2014.
In the regulation, the government provides tolerance for export easing through the smelter construction process. The company will get an export permit if the smelter construction reaches 60 percent.
But, said Melky, the smelter construction rules were not implemented by mining companies. He cited the example carried out by PT Freeport Indonesia.
“Regarding PT Freeport, there are rules that have been violated. The most fatal is not building a smelter for various reasons, “he said.
Melky sees the government as not moving when dealing with mining companies. In fact, the government already has strict rules.
“This government is like being regulated by companies, not regulating companies. For us the real efforts of the government to negotiate with companies have not gone well, because the company itself is profitable, “Melky said.
PWYP Advocacy and Network Manager Aryanto Nugroho said the powerlessness could occur because the government was still dependent on mining companies.
“When exports by companies are stopped because of regulations, companies in Indonesian regions will not run. While the wheels of the economy in the area are moving because of the company. The incident made it look like the government was wrong, so that it would allow for continued relaxation,” said Aryanto. (wis/rdk)
In Media, Media Coverage | PWYP Indonesia | October 12nd, 2016