Government Seizes Rp38 Trillion Treasure, Discoverer Left Impoverished
The story of Mat Sam, a diamond finder from Kampung Cempaka, South Kalimantan, remains a profound anomaly. Unlike others who amass great wealth after discovering treasure, Mat Sam has lived a life of hardship, despite discovering the largest treasure in modern history, valued at approximately Rp38 trillion.
The tragic tale began on Thursday, 26 August 1965. While working with four companions, Mat Sam accidentally discovered a massive diamond. He testified that the diamond was exceptionally clear with a blue and reddish hue.
This discovery caused a sensation, which Mat Sam would later regret. The find was eventually identified as the largest in history, weighing 166.75 carats. The Pikiran Rakjat daily (31 August 1965) noted, “Its price is estimated to be no less than tens of billions of rupiah, as the diamond is only slightly smaller than the ‘Kohinoor’ (the Indian diamond) that adorns the British Crown.”
As news went viral, Mat Sam became famous. Everyone assumed he would become incredibly wealthy; however, this did not happen. The diamond did not belong to him, as it was seized by the government. The Angkatan Bersenjata newspaper (11 September 1967) reported that the diamond was secured by the Banjar Regency authorities and transported to Jakarta to be presented to President Soekarno, a process the paper noted was “contrary to the wishes of the discoverers/owners.”
According to Pikiran Rakjat, the 166.75-carat diamond was intended to be used for the development of South Kalimantan and to fund the purchase of excavation technology to increase diamond production. In return, the President promised a reward to Mat Sam and his four companions in the form of free pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj). “The diamond miners and their four companions and wives were given priority to perform the Hajj pilgrimage,” wrote the Pikerman Rakjat reporter.
While Mat Sam was initially overjoyed by the prospect of a free pilgrimage, the promised government reward never arrived. Two years later, Mat Sam and his companions eventually spoke out, seeking justice and demanding that the government honour its promise. According to Kompas (11 September 1967), the discoverers lived in extreme poverty. “[…] The original discoverers/owners are currently living in insufficiency and have never experienced the true enjoyment of their discovery,” Kompas reported.
At the time, the 166.75-carat diamond was valued at approximately Rp3.5 billion (around US$248,000). Given that gold prices in 1967 were around Rp230 per gram, that amount could have purchased over 15 million grams of gold. When converted to modern values based on 2024/2025 gold prices, the diamond is worth an estimated Rp38.04 trillion—a truly fantastic sum.
It is understandable why Mat Sam sought justice. Had the government not seized the stone, he would likely be a billionaire today. His plea was delivered through legal counsel to the Presidium of the Ampera Cabinet, led by General Soeharto. “Hoping that the government can review this matter for the sake of upholding justice and truth,” stated the legal team, as quoted by Kompas. However, there are no further historical records to indicate whether Mat Sam’s plea for justice was ever addressed by the government.