URGENT: Court says BPMIGAS existence against Constitution

By Godang Sitompul

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources on Tuesday expressed concern over the ruling by the Constitutional Court stating the establishment of upstream authority BPMIGAS is in conflict with the nation?s 1945 Constitution.

?The Court has ruled that the establishment of BPMIGAS is in conflict with the Constitution. That means the agency must be dissolved. We are really concerned,? the ministry?s spokesman Susyanto told Petromindo.com.

Susyanto said once the Court decided that since BPMIGAS? establishment is in conflict with the Constitution, the agency has no legal power. To fill out the legal vacuum, the ministry should take over BPMIGAS? functions on temporary basis.

The Court reviewed the existence of BPMIGAS based on the judicial review submitted by the Central Office of Islamic organization Muhammadiyah and other religious organizations as well as activists such Dr. Komaruddin Hidayat, Marwan Batubara, Adhie Massardi, M Hatta Taliwang. They were represented by lawyers Dr Syaiful Bakhri,Umar Husin who presented expert witnesses such as Dr Rizal Ramli, Dr Kurtubi during the hearing in the Court.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon