Lawmaker Urges Legal Certainty for Small-Scale Mining
Palangka Raya (ANTARA) - Sigit K Yunianto, a member of Commission XII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), is urging local governments with small-scale mining operations to immediately process and finalise various permits to achieve legal certainty for mining communities.
“We must promptly provide legal certainty to the people who depend on small-scale mining for their livelihoods. Do not allow them to continue operating under legal uncertainty,” Sigit stated when contacted in Palangka Raya on Saturday.
According to Sigit, small-scale mining, as one of the pillars of the people’s economy, needs to receive clear protection and business certainty.
The PDI Perjuangan politician emphasised the need for separate legal regulations specifically for small-scale mining, which should no longer be conflated with large-scale mining regulations.
He stated that the authority for regulation and supervision should be granted to local governments at both the provincial and regency/city levels.
“Regulations must be simplified and not convoluted, so they are easily accessible and implementable by the community. This decentralisation of authority is important so that local regions can respond more quickly to local needs,” he asserted.
Furthermore, Sigit welcomed the role of the Indonesian Small-Scale Mining Association (APRI), which has been established in various regions. He expressed hope that APRI could actively support government efforts in providing education to miners, particularly regarding the use of chemicals, to ensure environmental preservation.
“APRI is present in all regions; this is a great strength. APising must help educate its members on environmentally friendly mining practices. In this way, small-scale mining can operate sustainably,” said the former Chairman of the Association of City Legislative Councils throughout Indonesia (ADEKSI) for the 2020-2025 period.
The former three-term Chairman of the Palangka Raya City Legislative Council added that APRI’s support is highly strategic, as it can serve as a government partner in mutual cooperation to advocate for the welfare of small-scale miners.
Collaboration between the DPR, central government, local governments, and associations such as APRI is expected to produce policies that are pro-people while simultaneously maintaining environmental conservation.
The meeting was attended by various stakeholders related to small-scale mining and is expected to serve as a concrete step towards regulatory revisions that are more favourable to small-scale communities.