Purnomo won?t interfere in KPC case

Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Purnomo Yusgiantoro said he would not press the East Kalimantan administration to withdraw its indictment against coal giant mining company PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC), according to the Kaltim Post daily.

The paper also quoted Purnomo as saying that he had not received any letter from Rio Tinto, one of the two owners of KPC, asking for his help to pressure the East Kalimantan administration.

?Which letter? I have not received any,? he told reporters during a visit in Bontang last week.

Asked if he would interfere in the case, Purnomo said: ?I will not pressure the East Kalimantan administration.?

As reported earlier, the East Kalimantan administration reported KPC to the Attorney General?s Office and the National Police in Jakarta over alleged corruption made by the company.

East Kalimantan had accused KPC of manipulating production data. The accusation was made amid signs that KPC is trying to further delay its obligation to divest up to 51 percent shares to the East Kalimantan administration by asking a very high price for the shares.

Elsewhere, Purnomo said that KPC must immediately divest its shares to the local administration. ?The administration has the right over the 51 percent stake according to the regulation.?(*)