Six coal producers may be taken to E. Kalimantan court

Six coal producers in East Kalimantan may be taken to court for failing to pay retribution for the government?s pontoons operating at River Mahakam, a local government official was quoted by East Kalimantan based Kaltim Post daily as saying on Monday.

The coal producers were PT Kitadin Corp, PT Bukit Baiduri Enterprise, PT Tanito Harum, PT Multi Harapan Utama, PT Fajar Bumi Sakti and PT Anugrah Baru Sakti, said Abd Rachim who heads Samarinda Regency?s office in charge of revenue affairs.

Together, the companies had failed to pay to his office about Rp 4.3 billion since April 2001, Rachim said. The greatest portion of the Rp 4.3 billion was from PT Bukit Baiduri Enterprise (Rp 1.09 billion) and PT Taniko Harum (Rp 1.07 billion), the official said. (US$=Rp9250)

?Possibly we shall take the case to court because the companies had violated the existing government regulation, Perda No. 20, 2000,? Rachim said.

The official said his office had repeatedly reminded the companies about their delay in paying retribution for the pontoons which had continued supporting their operation. The retribution from the coalminers would be used for rehabilitating River Mahakam, Rachim said. (*)