Regent facing probe over illegal mining
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Police will ask President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for permission to summon a regent in South Kalimantan for questioning over illegal coal mining, which reportedly has caused more than Rp 2 trillion (US$200 million) in state losses.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Aryanto Boedihardjo said his office would submit a request to the President on Monday. Presidential permission is necessary before the police or prosecutors can question state officials in criminal cases.
Aryanto refused to identify the regent, but a police source said the regency in question was Tanah Bumbu.
"He (the regent) is allegedly involved in forging transportation documents for coal from a mining site. He is also accused of issuing mining permits for unlicensed companies," Aryanto said.
He said the police arrested the head of the local mining agency responsible for all mining activities in the area.
"We hope to complete the investigation soon. The probe is part of a special anti-illegal mining operation in Kalimantan called Peti Intan 2005," Aryanto said.
Earlier on Wednesday, the operational deputy to the National Police chief, Insp. Gen. Didi Widayadi, said a number of regents in South Kalimantan had been implicated in illegal coal mining operations that had resulted in environmental damage.
The regents will be questioned for issuing permits to coal mining companies without informing the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, he was quoted by Antara as saying.
He refused to identify the regents, but according to the provincial police the regents of Kotabaru, Tanah Laut, Tanah Tumbu, Banjar, Tabalong and Tabin have all issued such permits.
During a visit to Kotabaru, Didi held talks with South Kalimantan Governor Rudy Ariffin and provincial police chief Brig. Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri regarding plans to question the regents.
The Kotabaru regent reportedly issued 95 permits to coal mining companies, the Tanah Laut regent 64 permits, the Tanah Bumbu regent 44 permits, the Banjar regent 15 permits, the Tabalong regent 14 permits and the Tapin regent four permits.
Kotabaru Regent Sjachrani Mataja said he was prepared to be questioned by the police in connection with the case, in an effort to fight illegal mining and illegal logging in his region.
He was quoted by Antara as saying he had issued the mining permits after careful consideration of the environmental consequences.
However, Sjachrani acknowledged some of the permits should be reviewed because they might no longer be valid, partly because several of the licensed companies had ceased their mining operations.
President Susilo recently granted permission to the police to question the regent of Bone Bolango in South Sulawesi, Ismet Mille, and the deputy regent of Nganjuk in East Java, Djaelani Ishaq, in two separate corruption cases.
To date, the President has granted police and prosecutors permission to question 60 state officials.