Regent facing probe over illegal mining<\/p>\n
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Police will ask President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for permission
\nto summon a regent in South Kalimantan for questioning over
\nillegal coal mining, which reportedly has caused more than Rp 2
\ntrillion (US$200 million) in state losses.<\/p>\n
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Aryanto Boedihardjo said
\nhis office would submit a request to the President on Monday.
\nPresidential permission is necessary before the police or
\nprosecutors can question state officials in criminal cases.<\/p>\n
Aryanto refused to identify the regent, but a police source
\nsaid the regency in question was Tanah Bumbu.<\/p>\n
\"He (the regent) is allegedly involved in forging
\ntransportation documents for coal from a mining site. He is also
\naccused of issuing mining permits for unlicensed companies,\"
\nAryanto said.<\/p>\n
He said the police arrested the head of the local mining
\nagency responsible for all mining activities in the area.<\/p>\n
\"We hope to complete the investigation soon. The probe is part
\nof a special anti-illegal mining operation in Kalimantan called
\nPeti Intan 2005,\" Aryanto said.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Wednesday, the operational deputy to the National
\nPolice chief, Insp. Gen. Didi Widayadi, said a number of regents
\nin South Kalimantan had been implicated in illegal coal mining
\noperations that had resulted in environmental damage.<\/p>\n
The regents will be questioned for issuing permits to coal
\nmining companies without informing the Ministry of Energy and
\nMineral Resources, he was quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
He refused to identify the regents, but according to the
\nprovincial police the regents of Kotabaru, Tanah Laut, Tanah
\nTumbu, Banjar, Tabalong and Tabin have all issued such permits.<\/p>\n
During a visit to Kotabaru, Didi held talks with South
\nKalimantan Governor Rudy Ariffin and provincial police chief
\nBrig. Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri regarding plans to question
\nthe regents.<\/p>\n
The Kotabaru regent reportedly issued 95 permits to coal
\nmining companies, the Tanah Laut regent 64 permits, the Tanah
\nBumbu regent 44 permits, the Banjar regent 15 permits, the
\nTabalong regent 14 permits and the Tapin regent four permits.<\/p>\n
Kotabaru Regent Sjachrani Mataja said he was prepared to be
\nquestioned by the police in connection with the case, in an
\neffort to fight illegal mining and illegal logging in his region.<\/p>\n
He was quoted by Antara as saying he had issued the mining
\npermits after careful consideration of the environmental
\nconsequences.<\/p>\n
However, Sjachrani acknowledged some of the permits should be
\nreviewed because they might no longer be valid, partly because
\nseveral of the licensed companies had ceased their mining
\noperations.<\/p>\n
President Susilo recently granted permission to the police to
\nquestion the regent of Bone Bolango in South Sulawesi, Ismet
\nMille, and the deputy regent of Nganjuk in East Java, Djaelani
\nIshaq, in two separate corruption cases.<\/p>\n
To date, the President has granted police and prosecutors
\npermission to question 60 state officials.<\/p>",
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