Bumi Etam executive under police custody over illegal mining
Monday, July 2 2001 - 01:59 AM WIB
Director of coal mining company PT Bumi Etam, Yuses, was detained by the local police of the Kutai Kertanegara regency in East Kalimantan over alleged illegal mining activity.
The local Kaltim Post daily quoted Kutai police chief Wagner Damanik as saying that the detention was made following reports from the people that Bumi Etam had no license to operate in the Bakungan village in Loa Janan district.
The police also claimed that Bumi Etam had trespassed the mining area of PT Multi Harapan Utama.
The police had also summoned Bumi Etam president Fuji Lestari, now residing in Surabaya, East Java, to report to the Kutai police.
Bumi Etam, which operates since November 2000, has spent some Rp 3 billion (US$1=Rp 11,400) to clean up some 155 ha of land, provide heavy machinery, and established infrastructure including coal port, and road.(*)