PKH Task Force Visits 17 Sites of Forest Area Violations in Central Kalimantan

The Directorate Team of the Task Force for Enhancing Legal Contributions (Satgas PKH) inspected 17 locations where forest areas had been diverted into mining sites by PT Asmin Koalindo Tuhup (AKT) in Murung Raya, Central Kalimantan, on Tuesday (7/4). This inspection follows up on the investigation conducted by the Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) on 25-26 March regarding violations by the company, which continued mining activities despite the revocation of its business permit since 2017. Previously, Satgas PKH took action against PT AKT because, by the deadline, the company had not fulfilled its obligation to pay an administrative fine of Rp4.2 trillion for those violations. Satgas PKH proceeded with enforcement through legal mechanisms, in this case by the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic of Indonesia. In this case, the Attorney General’s Office has named a suspect identified as ST and uncovered links to PT MCM and PT AC. In connection with this, searches were conducted at 17 locations spread across DKI Jakarta, West Java, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan. From the searches, several documents, electronic data, and heavy equipment suspected to be directly related to the case were seized. As a result of these actions, the state faces potential significant losses, which are currently being calculated by auditors. The charged articles include Primary Article 603 jo Article 20 letter A/C of Law No. 1 of 2023, Article 18 of the Corruption Offences Law, and Subsidiary Article 604 jo Article 20 letter A/C of Law No. 1 of 2023 jo Article 18 of the Corruption Offences Law jo Article 618 of Law No. 1 of 2023. To date, 25 witnesses have been examined, coordination with experts and auditors has been carried out, and asset tracing and account blocking have been implemented on behalf of ST, his family, and affiliated parties as efforts to safeguard state finances. SPOKESPERSON’S WARNING Previously, the Spokesperson for the Forest Area Regulation Task Force (Satgas PKH), Barita Simanjuntak, stated that the Attorney General’s designation of ST as a suspect in the alleged corruption case involving the mismanagement of PT AKT’s mining operations serves as a warning to other parties. According to him, companies summoned by Satgas PKH must fulfil their obligations to the state as stipulated in Presidential Regulation No. 5 of 2025 on forest regulation. “If there is bad faith, the state’s instruments will certainly work to ensure compliance with those regulations is enforced and obeyed by anyone in our rule of law,” Barita said during a press conference on the suspect designation of ST at the Attorney General’s Office building in Jakarta some time ago. He stated that the Attorney General’s designation of ST as a suspect is part of Satgas PKH’s consistency in ensuring the rule of law in regulation activities. Furthermore, he said, authorised investigators will develop the case involving ST, including seeking other parties suspected of involvement and connection in the legal construct according to the evidence in the investigation. For this, he also appreciated the performance of the Attorney General’s Office in uncovering the case involving ST. The Forest Area Regulation Task Force (Satgas PKH) stated that PT Asmin Koalindo Tuhup (AKT) has not yet fulfilled its obligation to pay the administrative fine of Rp4.2 trillion. RECLAIMING LAND Previously, Satgas PKH reclaimed 1,699 hectares of land used as a mining area by PT AKT in Murung Raya Regency, Central Kalimantan. This step was taken following the revocation of the operational permit or Coal Mining Business Work Agreement (PKP2B) through the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Decree No. 3714 K/30/MEN/2017 dated 19 October 2017. Based on verification results, Satgas PKH found several fundamental violations. In fact, PT AKT’s operational permit was revoked in 2017 because the company used the PKP2B as debt collateral without the approval of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia. However, PT AKT is indicated to have continued mining until 15 December 2025 without reporting the Work Plan and Budget (RKAB) to the relevant authorities.