House investigation team on Freeport criticized for disclosing its findings

Soetan Bahtoegana, a member of a task force of the Commission VII of the House of Representatives has strongly criticized the House's investigation team on PT Freeport Indonesia for disclosing its findings to the press recently without a prior discussion with the task force, Suara Karya reported on Monday.

"The investigation team should first report their findings to the task force before disclosing them to the press," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Soetan also said the task force had scheduled to discuss the findings with government officials such as tax director general and surveying company Sucofindo as well as former minister of energy and mineral resources Ginandjar Kartasasmita who was involved in the extension of the gold and copper mining company's contracts.

Members of the House's investigation team on Freeport including Sonny Keraf, who is also the chairman of the House's Commission VII and Tjatur Sapto Edy, the vice chairman of the commission, unveiled the findings of the team to the press last week.

They said their findings indicated that Freeport did not only damage the environment but was not transparent in the payment of its taxes and mining royalties to the government. (*)