Kalimantan regents investigated for issuing fake mining permits

The police in South Kalimantan are investigating several regents in the province for possible involvement in the issuance of fictitious mining permits, Media Indonesia reported on Wednesday.

Those allegedly involved in the issuance of the fake mining permits include the regent of Kota Baru, the regent of Tanah Bumir, the regent of Tanah Laut, the regent of Banjar, the regent of Tapin and the regent of Tabalog .

Puguh Rahardjo, the spokesman for the South Kalimantan police, said in Banjarmasin on Tuesday that the police had discovered that 26 of the mining permits issued by Tanah Laut regent Ardiansyah were fictive.

"Regent Ardiansyah has been declared as a suspect. The police are also investigating the head of the mining office in the Tanah Laut regency," he said, adding that the police would also soon investigate other regents' involvement in the alleged crime.

The regency authorities in South Kalimantan have been accused of issuing mining permits on mining concessions already given to other mining firms. The issuance of the fictive mining permits has been blamed for the mushrooming of illegal mining activities in the province. (*)