South Kalimantan ESDM Office Respects Legal Process for Civil Servant Suspected of IDR 1.2 Billion Mining Permit Corruption

The Energy and Mineral Resources Office of South Kalimantan Province (ESDM Kalsel) is respecting the legal process regarding alleged corruption implicating a civil servant with the initials HPW in the processing of mining business permits (IUP), with an estimated receipt value of around IDR 1.2 billion. Acting Head of ESDM Kalsel Endarto, when confirmed in Banjarbaru on Tuesday, conveyed an apology to the public for the case involving one of the office’s employees, and stated it would serve as evaluation material to strengthen internal supervision and governance. “Firstly, I, as the head of ESDM Kalsel, apologise to the entire community regarding the event that has occurred,” he said. He confirmed that a search was conducted on Monday, 8 June 2026, by a team of investigators from the prosecutor’s office, and several files were seized. He stressed that ESDM Kalsel is being cooperative and continues to coordinate with investigators to support the law enforcement process, while ensuring all investigative needs related to the case can be fulfilled according to applicable regulations. Endarto expressed hope that the case implicating one of his employees would soon obtain legal certainty so it does not drag on, and that it would serve as a correction for the institution to improve integrity and supervision of the duties of state civil apparatus. “We hope this problem will be resolved quickly, and this certainly becomes a correction for us to improve further,” he said. On Monday (8/6), the Tabalong District Prosecutor’s Office arrested and named HPW a suspect for alleged corruption in the form of extortion against business actors processing class C quarrying mining permits in the Tabalong Regency area, with an initial estimated receipt value reaching approximately IDR 1.2 billion during the 2023 to 2025 period. HPW is known to have served as an evaluator staff member in the Business Section of the Mineral and Coal Mining Division at ESDM Kalsel and is suspected of utilising his position in the permit processing that is the object of the prosecutor’s investigation. On Monday (8/6) around 19.00 Central Indonesia Time, the investigation team from the prosecutor’s office completed a search at the ESDM Kalsel office, taking away several boxes containing documents suspected to be related to the case and bringing the suspect for further examination.