Prabowo's Directive to Bahlil on Mining in Protected Forests
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto has ordered the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, to evaluate hundreds of mining business permits (IUP) in protected forests due to suspected violations of regulations.
“So, there are several hundred. The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources should evaluate them immediately! If it’s not clear, revoke them all! We no longer have time to be too merciful; there is no mercy now. We are only defending national interests and the interests of the people,” said President Prabowo while delivering instructions during the Government Working Meeting in the Central Courtyard of the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday.
President Prabowo also gave Bahlil one week to report the results of the evaluation.
The President then emphasised that there is no place in his government to accommodate the interests of friends, groups, or family, as the current focus is on the interests of the people.
“Evaluate immediately! How many days, report back to me?” the President asked Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia.
“Two weeks? Nice try with two weeks. One week, we revoke all those IUPs,” the President stated.
On the same occasion, still related to forest management permits, the President praised Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni because his ministry has not issued wood logging permits, especially during his tenure.
“In the forests, I checked (the permits issued), Forestry Minister, Alhamdulillah, this Forestry Minister is good too. He hasn’t given permission to cut wood,” said the President to Raja Juli.
President Prabowo delivered direct instructions to approximately 800 bureaucrats, consisting of ministers, deputy ministers, up to echelon I level officials.
After the President delivered his instructions, which lasted about one hour, the meeting session was held in closed session, followed by presentations from several ministers and closing directions from President Prabowo.
The ministers who gave brief presentations at the meeting included Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia, and Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono.
The working meeting in the central courtyard of the Palace ended around 6:30 PM WIB.