Regent facing probe over illegal mining
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.