Home Ministry withdraws draft presidential decree on transfer of mining authority
Wednesday, January 10 2001 - 02:30 AM WIB
The Ministry of Home Affairs and Regional Autonomy has reportedly withdrawn a draft presidential decree on the transfer of mining authority from the State Secretariat for further deliberation. In fact, the draft decree is ready to be signed by the President for implementation.
An informed source at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources confirmed the withdrawal of the draft decree by the Home Affairs Ministry. "I don't know why the draft decree ready to be signed by the President is suddenly withdrawn. They said they would discuss it further."
The draft decree was sent by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to the State Secretariat in December 2000.
The director general of general mining at the Ministry of Energy, Surna Tjahja Djajadiningrat, also confirmed that the draft decree was now at the hands of officials at the Ministry of Home Affairs.
"The fact is that it is still at the Ministry of Home Affairs, and is still being deliberated there. I don't know that (if the decree is withdrawn from the State Secretariat)," Surna said.
Surna explained that his office had actually involved representatives from the Home Ministry in the deliberation and drafting of the presidential decree on the transfer of mining authority to local administrations.
Meanwhile, a source at the Ministry of Home Affairs also confirmed that his office was still deliberating and processing the draft decree.
The source said that his office was initially not involved in the drafting of the decree by the Ministry of Energy.
"We don't want to create an impression as if we are half hearted in transferring the (mining) authority to local administrations," the source said. (*)