5 coal mining firms become suspects of illegal mining

While South Kalimantan's team to handle illegal miners could not nab illegal miners and bring them to court, a team established by the central government had been able to grab a number of illegal miners and would send five of them to court.

The five illegal miners are PT Satui Baru Tama, PT Jayanti Group, PT Texindo, PT Dharma Kencana and PT Handayan Suka Nusaka Mitra, according to the head of the central government's sub-joint team for illegal mining, Brig. Gen. (Police) Dewa K.G. Astika.

Astika said on Thursday that the South Kalimantan police were still processing the case of the five companies, and would soon hand over the dossiers of the five to the provincial prosecutors' office.

Astika also acknowledged that based on the team's investigation, illegal mining activities of the five companies had involved members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the police.

He noted that the five mining companies could be charged with articles in the mining law, adding that illegal mining activities could be categorized as criminal acts.

He also called on the South Kalimantan's team handling illegal mining problems to cooperate with his team to stop or reduce illegal mining practices.

"I want the local team handling illegal mining to have the guts and moral courage to stop illegal miners," he said.

Meanwhile, the inspector of the South Kalimantan police, Superintendent Hanafi Arief, said that the problems in illegal mining in the province were the sins of the former provincial leaders.

He promised to take legal actions against anyone allegedly involved in illegal mining activities. "Whoever they are, we will take legal actions against them." (*)