Government finds 25 firms buying coal from illegal miners

The government has found 25 mining firms buying coal from illegal miners, according to director of coal of the Ministry of Mines and Energy Suyartono.

Suyartono was quoted by the Bisnis Indonesia daily as saying that the government had given a letter of warning to the firms.

He declined to name the firms and to provide further details.

The government has been facing difficulties to curb the rampant illegal mining activities in the country, which had discouraged investors to enter the mining sector and caused serious environmental pollution.

President Abdurrahman Wahid had recently issued a decree to curb the illegal mining problem. (*)