Illegal mining problems in S. Kalimantan taken to President

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is taking illegal coal mining problems in South Kalimantan to the President after it fails to coordinate with the Ministries of Home Affairs and of Communications to stop the transportation of illegal coals.

The inspector general at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Muzani Syukur, said his ministry had sent letters to the two other ministries to stop the transportation of illegal coals out of South Kalimantan, but the two ministries did not respond.

Muzani said his office was taking the case to the President considering that a large number of illegal coals confiscated by authorities (the South Kalimantan mining office) were released with recommendations from other official offices in South Kalimantan.

He noted there were strong indications of collusion between illegal miners with officials at the South Kalimantan administration and executives of state-owned enterprises.

To cite an example, illegal coals confiscated and piled in a port belonging to state-owned port operator PT Pelindo were eventually transported out using a recommendation from the South Kalimantan governor.

Another example, one evening, the mining authority stopped and confiscated a vessel carrying illegal coals. But the next day, the vessel had gone.

Meanwhile, a deputy chairman of the House of Representatives' Commission VIII, Amir Moeis of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, noted that the rampant illegal mining activities in South Kalimantan were made possible with strong backing from officials in the area.

To stop such illegal mining activities, Amir suggested that the government ban all coal buyers from buying illegal coals.

"If there are no buyers, illegal miners will eventually die." (*)