Sending of diamond by Galuh Cempaka is legal: Police

The South Kalimantan Police chief Brig. Gen. H. Basyir Akhmad Barmawi finally broke the silence and denied widespread speculation in the province that foreign-investment diamond mining firm PT Galuh Cempaka (GC) had illegally sent thousands of carats of diamond to Jakarta.

"Thus far, the results of the South Kalimantan Police's investigation into exploration activities by PT GC show that the sending of thousands of carats of diamond samples from this area to Jakarta are all legal," Basyir said.

He contended the activity was legal because PT GC was still in its exploration stage, and not yet entered into exploitation of diamond in the concession area.

"The thousands of carats of diamond that had been suspected to be illegally sold via Jakarta were sent to Jakarta for research activities before the company entered into the exploitation stage," he said.

Nevertheless, Basyir opened the police's door for anyone having information or evidences about the suspected illegal sending of the thousands of carats of diamonds to Jakarta by PT GC.

"If it is true that PT GC broke the law, please help us and report to use. If it is convicted, we will take measures according to the law," he said.

Recently, officials at the province's Syamsudin Noor airport in Banjarbaru found and held hundreds of carat of diamond worth billions of rupiah to be sent by PT GC to Jakarta. And it was found out later that PT GC had sent a total of 4,000 carats of diamond to Jakarta.

This incident sparked uproar in the province. Even Governor Sjachriel Darham asked PT GC to return all the diamond from Jakarta to Banjarmasin, and he threatened to take legal actions against PT GC.

GC is majority owned by Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto, but the company is seeking to sell its shares in the joint venture. (*)