East Kalimantan files lawsuit against two ministers

The provincial administration of East Kalimantan has filed a lawsuit against Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro and Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti on charges of violating a Cabinet decision in the divestment process of coal mining giant PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC), Kompas said in its Wednesday edition.

“We have already filed a suit against two ministers in a Jakarta court. Exactly which court, only our lawyer knows it,” East Kalimantan provincial secretary Syaiful Teteng said in Samarinda on Tuesday.

Teteng said the Cabinet had previously decided to handover 31 percent of ownership in KPC to the provincial administration and 20 percent to state owned PT Bukit Asam as part of the KPC divestment program.

“(But) When we were in the process of negotiation, PT Bumi Resources acquired (KPC),” Teteng said.

He said the two ministers had violated the cabinet decision by approving the transaction.

Earlier, East Kalimantan administration’s lawyer P.D.D. Dermawan said besides the two ministers, there are also a number of other people to be brought to the court on corruption charges. They include former secretary general at the ministry of energy, East Kutai Regent Mahyuddin, officials from Rio Tinto and BP (as the old owner of KPC) and PT Bumi Resources officials (in the capacity of new owner of KPC).

KPC is a coal mining company-based in Sangatta, East Kutai, East Kalimantan. (*)