Analyst: Arrest of Samin Tan Will Open 'Pandora's Box' of Illegal Mining Backing Networks
Intelligence analyst Sri Rajasa has urged investigators to be transparent in uncovering which state parties are allegedly involved in the suspected corruption and mining violation case involving businessman Samin Tan. As is known, Samin Tan was re-designated as a suspect and detained by the Attorney General’s Office on Saturday (28/3) in the early hours.
Sri stated that the re-designation of businessman Samin Tan as a suspect by the Attorney General’s Special Crimes Division (Jampidsus) opens a new chapter in the investigation of alleged corruption in the coal mining sector.
This case is assessed not only to target business actors but also to potentially reveal the alleged involvement of state apparatus that have long been suspected of protecting problematic mining operations.
“The investigation of this case should not stop at corporate actors, but also trace parties suspected of providing protection, facilitating documents, or allowing mining activities to continue even though the licensing basis has expired,” he said.
He stated that for many parties, this case is more than just an illegal mining issue. Its handling could become a test of the commitment to law enforcement in penetrating the layers of protection that have often been said to be behind problematic mining practices. If the investigation stops only at business actors, the public will find it hard to believe that law enforcement truly touches the core actors that enabled the alleged violations to continue for years.
Regarding the emergence of several initials of officials allegedly involved, Rajasa said that the focus of reporting should be emphasised on more fundamental questions: which state officials are allegedly involved, what their roles are, and why mining activities whose permits were revoked in 2017 could still operate until 2025.
“The answers to those questions will determine whether the Samin Tan case stops as an individual matter or develops into an entry point to dismantle a broader suspected backing network for mining,” said Sri Rajasa.
Previously, the Director of Investigation of Jampidsus, Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, in a press conference on Saturday, 28 March 2026, explained that the mining permit for PT Asmin Koalindo Tuhup (PT AKT) had been revoked since 2017. However, the company is alleged to have continued mining and selling coal illegally until 2025. According to the Attorney General’s Office, these actions were allegedly carried out using invalid licensing documents and in collaboration with state officials who should have carried out supervisory functions.
The Attorney General’s Office emphasised that the element of state officials in this case is already included in the construction of the alleged corruption offence, although to date the identities of the parties concerned have not been announced and they have not been designated as suspects.
On 15 February 2019, Samin Tan was announced by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as a suspect in a suspected bribery case against former Deputy Chair of Commission VII of the DPR, Eni Maulani Saragih.
Samin Tan was once on the KPK’s Most Wanted List since 6 May 2020, and was arrested by the KPK on 5 April 2021 at a cafe on Jalan MH Thamrin, Central Jakarta.
The Rp5 billion bribe was for the purpose of managing the termination of the Coal Mining Business Work Agreement (PKP2B) for PT AKT, a subsidiary of PT Borneo Lumbung Energi & Metal (BLEM).
However, the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court (PN) and the Supreme Court (MA) issued an acquittal verdict for Samin Tan.
Meanwhile, the Forest Area Regulation Task Force (Satgas PKH) stated that the designation of ST (Samin Tan) as a suspect by the Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung) in the alleged corruption case of mismanagement of PT AKT mining serves as a warning to other parties.
Therefore, companies that have been summoned by Satgas PKH need to settle their obligations to the state, in accordance with Presidential Regulation Number 5 of 2025 on forest regulation.