Prabowo Slams Rampant Illegal Mining in Indonesia: 'As If There Is No State'

President Prabowo Subianto has highlighted the rampant operation of illegal mines in Indonesia, stating that some have been running for eight years without permits. Speaking at the closing of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) National Conference and Grand Conference in Bangkalan, East Java, on Tuesday, 23 June 2026, he said the situation made it seem as if the country had no authority.

“We have shut down hundreds of unlicensed mines. These illegal mines operate as if there is no state,” Prabowo said in his address. “There is one mine that has been operating for eight years without a permit. They are completely at ease. And there are mines that generate hundreds of billions of rupiah every month. Every month, gold, silver, and very expensive metals are extracted.”

Prabowo also revealed that the smuggling of mining products abroad continues to this day, despite the government deploying thousands of personnel to stop it. “To this day, smuggling is still ongoing. We have deployed the navy, customs, and thousands of soldiers, yet it persists,” he explained.

He emphasised that efforts to enforce the law against various violations are not easy. Prabowo stated that a clean government is required to carry out proper law enforcement. “This is not a light effort. Our country is large, vast, and extremely wealthy. Therefore, the key is that the government must be clean. There must be no corruption in the government of the Republic of Indonesia,” he said. “I understand this is not easy, but whatever it takes, we must do it to save our nation.”