Bapedalda's senior official criticized for visiting Australia

The visit of the senior official of the provincial office of the environment impact management agency (Bapedalda) in South Kalimantan to Australia recently has caused controversy.

Kalimantan Pos reported on Saturday that Bambang Sutopo's participation in an international conference in Australia and his trips to several mining areas in the country recently had been widely criticized.

Some local officials branded the visit merely as a "prize" from coal mining company PT Arutmin for his success in passing the company's environmental impact analysts (Amdal), one of the requirement which should be made by mining companies to carry out their operation.

Arutmin's executive denied that the visit was part of the prize it gave to Bambang for helping the company to pass its Amdal. The executive said that Bambang was officially invited to join the conference and all his expense was covered by the organizing committee. (*)