Mining bill encourages KKN

The mining bill, currently being drafted by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, contains "discretionary behavior" by shifting authority to the central government that eventually would encourage corruption, collusion and nepotism, locally known as KKN, according to mining consultant Hartojo Wignjowijoto.

Hartojo noted that the bill would not be free from interests, especially the interests of mining mafia that controlled mining facilities during the New Order administration under former president Soeharto. These people would not let their privileges go.

"Legal products, including this mining bill, always contains discretionary behavior in the part of the government. The rationale behind is always beautiful and constitutional, but every article contains delegation of power to a minister or director generals," he said at a public debate on the mining bill on Thursday.

The bill gives too much authority to high-ranking officials to intervene. This opens loopholes for KKN.

What he wanted to see from any legal product, including the mining bill, was a product that could encourage or create "legal behavior," by upholding law enforcement and prevents KKN.

"The new mining bill must be able to encourage law enforcement and prevent KKN in the mining sector," he said.

He warned all parties that the drafting of the bill was still influenced by people in the mining mafia. "The mining mafia, along with the finance mafia in Indonesia, is still trying to come back to their positions they secured before the crisis."

He suspected that those mafias were trying to secure vital positions in the government, and actively campaigning for their own interests, including in financing this public debate on the mining bill. Hartojo called this public debate as a show business. (*)