House can still put a pressure to amend Freeport contract: Amien

Although the government has insisted that it would not amend the contract of giant gold mining firm PT Freeport Indonesia, the House of Representatives can still put a pressure to demand a change in the contract, according to Amien Rais, Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly, the country's highest legislative body.

Amien expected the legislators to continue their criticism on Freeport including to demand a change in the contract to avoid further losses to the people.

"This is related to the welfare of the nation. Dozens of tons of gold, hundred tons of silver, and thousand tons of copper form the Jayawijaya have been shipped overseas with huge losses to our country," Amien said.

He stressed that it's possible to amend the contract of Freeport if it really caused a loss to the country.

He also rejected suggestion that revising the contract would discourage foreign investment into the country.

He said that foreign investor would be happy to invest in a country with environment free of corruption practices.

Freeport has been hit by allegations of environmental destruction, indifference to the local Irian Jaya people, and graft practices during the 32-year rule of former authoritarian president Soeharto.

There has been increasing demand for the government to revise the contract.

But Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab had said recently that the government would honor the contract.(*)