The Busang hoax<\/p>\n
The controversy over the Busang gold mine has come to an
\nanticlimactic end. Bre-X, the Canadian company which claimed to
\nhave discovered the world's richest gold deposit in the
\nhinterland of East Kalimantan, has announced the findings of an
\nindependent analysis, which says that no commercially feasible
\ngold deposit has been found in the Busang area.<\/p>\n
The announcement has been a blow to many parties --
\nparticularly since experts at Strathcona, the laboratory where
\nthe Bre-X samples were tested, suspect a willful attempt at
\ndeception. The suspicion is that ore coming from other locations
\nwere mixed into the Busang samples to make it seem that mining
\nwas commercially feasible.<\/p>\n
Oddities, indeed, were present in abundance in the Bre-X
\nBusang saga, including the manner in which it was handled by the
\ngovernment. On the Internet a joke has been circulating that
\nnovelists and filmmakers could earn a good deal more from Busang
\nthan gold miners.<\/p>\n
Such interesting stories, which seem as if they were taken
\nfrom the TV serial Dynasty, have focused much of the attention of
\nthe world press on Indonesia. Unfortunately for us, this is no
\nreason for pride, but rather for embarrassment. What was shown
\nwas a tale of stupidity springing from greed. All the talk that
\nhas been spent on the subject so far has merely been a waste of
\nenergy.<\/p>\n
The Busang story tells of how a great country such as
\nIndonesia could be hoodwinked by stock brokers from across the
\nseas. It is time, therefore, for Indonesia to immediately start
\napplying world standards in every aspect of its national life.
\nThis means that legal security must be assured for every citizen
\nwithout exception.<\/p>\n
-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-busang-hoax-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }