Prabowo Orders Immediate Revocation of Problematic Mining Permits
The government faces a policy dilemma with no truly comfortable options.
President Prabowo Subianto has ordered a large-scale evaluation of mining business permits (IUP) deemed problematic, especially those located in protected forest areas. This instruction was delivered during his briefing at the Red and White Cabinet Working Meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday (8/4).
Prabowo admitted to receiving reports of hundreds of mining permits with unclear status. He then immediately checked with the relevant ministries, including the forestry sector.
“I have also ordered the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources. I received reports of hundreds of unclear mines or unclear IUPs in protected forests and other forests. I checked with the Minister of Forestry—Alhamdulillah, this Forestry Minister is okay too. He hasn’t given permission to cut wood yet,” he stated.
Following these findings, Prabowo requested that the evaluation be conducted quickly and firmly. He emphasised that the government no longer has room for tolerance towards permits that do not comply with regulations.
“So there are several hundred—Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, evaluate them immediately. If unclear, revoke all those IUPs, revoke them all. We no longer have time to be too sympathetic; there’s no sympathy now. We are only defending national interests and the interests of the people. The interests of friends, cronies, family, groups—that’s secondary,” he said.
The President even accelerated the evaluation deadline, which was initially proposed as two weeks, to just one week. He requested that the results be reported back immediately.
“Two weeks? Nice try with two weeks. One week? (Ready, said Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia) And revoke all IUPs; for principles that are not in order, we revoke them. They must be in the hands of the state, and we can then strengthen our institutions and agencies,” he stated.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has set regulations for the 2024 IUPK extension, requiring the availability of mining reserves and fulfilment of six important criteria in accordance with Government Regulation Number 25 of 2024.
Deputy Chair of Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Evita Nursanty, appreciated President Prabowo Subianto’s step to revoke mining business permits (IUP) for four mining companies in Raja Ampat.
Mining activities on small islands in Raja Ampat risk damaging the potential for creative economy and reducing global trust in Indonesia’s tourism brand.
Member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the Golkar Party Faction, Nurul Arifin, appreciated the government’s step to revoke the Mining Business Permit (IUP) for the Raja Ampat nickel mine.
Public policy observer Trubus Rahadiansyah commented on the government’s decision to revoke the Mining Business Permits (IUP) for four nickel mining companies in Raja Ampat.