Walhi demands closure of coal team

The Walhi environmental watchdog calls on the government to close down the government-sponsored illegal coal curbing team in South Kalimantan province because it has not been effective.

Walhi made the calls after it announced last week that it had quit the team.

The local Banjarmasin Post daily quoted South Kalimantan Walhi coordinator Husin Nafarin as saying that many illegal coal products had been smuggled out of the province despite the presence of the team.

He said that based on the South Kalimantan Governor decree, the illegal coal products must not be transferred out of the province.

Many NGOs have earlier criticized the illegal coal cubing team for its ineffectiveness. Some have even accused that the team had been bribed by businessmen benefiting from illegal coal transaction.(*)