Prosecutor's Office Arrests South Kalimantan ESDM Official for Rp1.2 Billion Mining Permit Extortion

A joint team from the Intelligence and Special Crimes divisions of the South Kalimantan High Prosecutor’s Office, alongside the Tabalong District Prosecutor’s Office, has arrested an employee of the South Kalimantan Provincial Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Department in connection with an alleged Rp1.2 billion corruption case involving the extortion of mining business licences (IUP).

“The suspect, identified by the initials HPW, acting as an evaluator within the Mineral and Coal Mining Field Control Section, requested various sums of money from IUP applicants,” stated the Tabalong District Prosecutor, Anggara Suryanagara, in Banjarbaru on Monday.

Anggara explained that the suspect’s actions took place from 2023 through to 2025. Based on these facts, HPW is suspected of violating Article 12, letter e of Law No. 20 of 2001 regarding the Amendment to Law No. 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes. This law stipulates that any civil servant or state official who, with the intent to unlawfully benefit themselves or others, or by abusing their authority, coerces someone to provide something, make a payment, or accept a payment with a deduction, or to perform a task for their own benefit, shall be prosecuted.

To strengthen the evidence, prosecutors have conducted searches at several locations, including the South Kalimantan ESDM Department office and the suspect’s private residence in Banjarbaru. The Head of Legal Information at the South Kalimantan High Prosecutor’s Office, Yuni Priyono, added that further developments regarding the investigation, including whether the suspect will be detained, will be communicated in due course. “At this stage, examinations of the suspect are still ongoing,” he added.