Indonesian Coal Resources Largely Controlled by Private Sector, Evidence Shows
PT Bukit Asam Tbk (PTBA) has revealed that Indonesia’s coal resources are currently dominated by the private sector. The portion of coal resources managed by State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) through PTBA is recorded at only approximately 5.81% of the national total.
PTBA President Director Bambang Ismawan explained that Indonesia’s total coal resources reach 98.41 billion tonnes, whereas PTBA’s holdings are recorded at 5.71 billion tonnes. Of that amount, the portion of proven reserves controlled by PTBA stands at 2.88 billion tonnes, or 9.03% of the national total proven reserves of 31.89 billion tonnes.
“So, Bukit Asam’s portion is only 5.81%. What does this mean? It means we are not controlled by the state. Today, coal is more heavily held by the private sector. While that is a reality of the past, I want to remind everyone that coal is a national asset; it should belong to the state,” Bambund said in Jakarta, as reported on Wednesday (7/10/2026).
Bambang emphasised the importance of reorganising the management of national natural resources to align with the mandate of Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution. He stated that the earth, water, and the natural wealth contained within them should be controlled by the state for the prosperity of all citizens.
“Therefore, we always emphasise to policymakers that coal is a state-owned natural resource. It is not man-made. Article 33 is clear: the earth, water, and the wealth contained within them shall be controlled by the state and utilised to the greatest extent for the welfare of the people,” he said.
In terms of corporate structure, the government’s shareholding in PTBA reaches 65.93% through MIND ID within the Danantara ecosystem. Although the SOE’s shareholding is considered a majority in the company, the portion of mining resource allocation managed by SOEs remains relatively small compared to the private sector.
According to his presentation, Indonesia’s total coal reserves of 31.9 billion tonnes contribute approximately 2-3% of the world’s total reserves, which reach 1.1 trillion tonnes.
Indonesia’s reserves rank sixth in the world, following the United States with 247.9 billion tonnes, Russia with 162.2 billion tonnes, China with 157.0 billion tonnes, Australia with 149.5 billion tonnes, and India with 127.7 billion tonnes.
“So, if we return to Article 33, this is no longer quite appropriate. However, we do not want to look back; we want to look forward to what we can do. To move forward, we must organise ourselves better; we must improve upon the shortcomings of the past,” he concluded.