Koba Tin president director named suspect

President director of PT Koba Tin, Kamardin M. Top has been named a suspect by the investigation team of the Forestry Ministry for the company?s alleged involvement in illegal mining operation in protected forests in Lubuk Besar subdistrict in Bangka and Belitung province, Media Indonesia reported on Thursday.

The ministry?s investigation team said it would submit the dossier to the province?s prosecution office as soon as it completed the investigation against his involvement in the company?s operations in the protected forests.

Koba Tin, one of the country?s major tin producers, has been accused of operating illegal mining operations in a 20-hectare area in the protected forests in the Lubuk Besar subdistrict during the period between 1998 and 2002. The company?s activities have caused serious damages to the environment.

For the offence, Koba Tin?s president might be sentenced to five years in jail and to get a fine to as high as Rp 5 billion.

The firm is the Indonesian unit of Malaysian firm Malaysia Smelting Corporation (MSC). MSC reported on August 11, 2008 that Koba Tin is expected to resume small-scale mining by its sub-contractors by the end of August this year. (*)