Mining body calls for policy reforms<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Indonesian Mining
\nProfessionals (Perhapi) has called for reforms to mining policy
\nto give greater benefits to the public.<\/p>\n
Association chairman Herman Afif Kusumo said on Monday that
\nthe 1967 mining law should be revamped in line with the spirit of
\nthe new economic policy set out recently by the Special Session
\nof the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).<\/p>\n
\"The mining law should be revamped in line with public demand
\nfor reform in all sectors,\" Herman said.<\/p>\n
Herman also called on the government to review Govt.
\nRegulation No. 20\/1994 on foreign investment, which allows
\nwholly-owned foreign investment in a number of sectors of the
\neconomy, including mining, Herman said.<\/p>\n
\"The mining sector should be out of bounds for wholly foreign-
\nowned ventures,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Herman said the new law should also emphasize the need for
\nsustainable development and environmental protection in mining
\nareas.<\/p>\n
Mining activities in remote areas should be maintained for
\nlonger periods of time to give greater benefits to local
\ncommunities and should play lead roles in development in these
\nareas, Herman said.<\/p>\n
The new mining law should also oblige mining companies to take
\nmeasures to ensure that local economies can adapt to an end to
\nmining once mineral reserves have been exhausted. At present, he
\nsaid, withdrawal of mining ventures results in many settlements
\nbecoming ghost towns.<\/p>\n
\"Alternative industries could be provided by following post-
\nmining programs to turn mining areas into industrial forests or
\nplantations,\" Herman said.<\/p>\n
The new law should also oblige mining companies to protect the
\nenvironment and mete out criminal punishment for those which fail
\nto meet the obligations, he said.<\/p>\n
In the new law, the government should also list \"prime\"
\nmineral resources which have priority for development, Herman
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Prioritizing mineral resources would help the government to
\nresolve disputes arising from overlapping land uses, he pointed
\nout.<\/p>\n
The new law should also make sure that provincial governments
\nand local communities receive a fair share of earnings from local
\nmining activities.<\/p>\n
He called on the government to merge supervision of the mining
\nsector with forestry and plantations under the auspices of a new
\nMinistry of Natural Resources, which he said would improve
\ncoordination of land use planning.<\/p>\n
Under the changes he proposed, directorates general
\nresponsible for energy in the current Ministry of Mines and
\nEnergy would become a separate entity in a new Ministry of Energy
\nset up to supervise the development of oil and gas resources.
\n(jsk)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mining-body-calls-for-policy-reforms-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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