Govt asked to set aside part of coal royalties for R&D

The association of Indonesian coal mining companies (APBI) has asked the government to set aside part of the royalties paid by coal miners to finance research and development activities in coal mining activities.

The association?s chairman Bob Kamandanu said in Jakarta last week that about 6.5 percent of the royalties paid by coal miners to the government should be ideally be allocated for R&D activities.

?At present, the government received 13.5 percent royalties from coal producers. We hope about 6.5 percent of the royalties can be allocated by R&D activities,? he said, adding that the funds could be used for the improvement of human resource development and the improvement of coal products. (*)