Mining licensing authority taken over by governors

Mining licensing authority will soon be taken over by provincial administrations, in this case the governors, from the central government, according to South Kalimantan Governor HM Sjachriel Darham.

"Mining licensing authority and also management will be handed over to local administrations in an effort to implement regional autonomy. Tomorrow, there will be a meeting in Jakarta, in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to discuss this matter," Sjachriel said on Wednesday.

In the meeting, according to Sjachriel, supporting regulations, including ministerial decrees, to implement the autonomy law would be discussed. Therefore, mining management and licensing would also refer to such supporting regulations, especially the ministerial decrees.

The meeting will be attended also by six regents whose areas had large mining potentials.

"Because we have limited time, today, we gather here to discuss concepts of our proposals that would be brought up to the minister (of energy and mineral resources) so that the mechanism (in mining licensing) will also involve provincial administrations and regencies," he said.

After the ministerial decree is issued, Sjachriel said, the provincial mining offices will no more have mining licensing and management authority. Such authority would be transferred to the governors because the mining provincial offices will be under the governors. (*)