Attorney General Reveals Samin Tan's Illegal Mining Operations Continued Despite 2017 Permit Revocation

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has stated that tycoon Samin Tan has been conducting illegal mining activities in Central Kalimantan since 2017. Director of Investigation for the Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes, Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, said the activities were carried out through PT Asmin Koalindo Tuhup (AKT), despite the revocation of its Coal Mining Business Work Agreement (PKP2B) permit in 2017. “After the revocation, PT AKT continued to carry out mining and the unauthorised and unlawful sale of mining products until 2025,” he said during a press conference on Saturday (28/3). Syarief stated that Samin, as the beneficial owner, is held responsible for PT AKT’s legal violations. To facilitate the operations, he added, Samin collaborated with state officials. “By collaborating with state officials tasked with supervising mining activities, this has caused losses to state finances or the national economy,” he explained. Nevertheless, Syarief noted that investigators are currently awaiting the audit results from the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) regarding the exact value of state financial losses from the illegal mining. For his actions, Samin Tan has been charged under Article 603 or Article 604 in conjunction with Article 20 letter a or c of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code (KUHP). “The suspect ST [Samin Tan] has been detained for the next 20 days at the Salemba Detention Centre, Branch of the Attorney General’s Office,” Syarief said. Samin Tan was previously prosecuted by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for alleged bribery of former Deputy Chair of Commission VII of the House of Representatives, Eni Maulani Saragih. The bribe was for facilitating the termination of the Coal Mining Business Work Agreement (PKP2B) contract for PT AKT, a subsidiary of PT BLEM. Samin Tan was named a suspect by the KPK on 15 February 2019. However, the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court and the Supreme Court acquitted Samin Tan, ruling that he was a victim of extortion by Eni Saragih. The cassation-level case for Samin Tan was heard by Chief Judge Suhadi with member judges Suharto and Ansori respectively. The verdict was read on Thursday, 9 June 2022.