Member Of Commission III Asks Police To "Brush" Regional Officials Who Allow Illegal Mines On Horses

JAKARTA - Member of Commission III of the DPR Abdullah assessed that the landslide incident that claimed the lives of 21 mining workers in the Gunung Kuda area, Cirebon Regency, West Java showed the weakness of the law enforcement control system in the mining sector. He asked regional officials who carried out illegal mining restrictions in the area to be thoroughly investigated.

According to Abdullah, illegal mining activities that have been banned since early 2025 should no longer take place. But in reality, the mining activity continued until it finally claimed lives.

"This is not just a matter of one or two people being negligent. What happened on Mount Kuda shows how weak the authorities are in enforcing the rules in the field. If mining activities have been banned since January and March 2025, then why continue to operate until May and take victims ?," Abdullah said, Thursday, June 5.

Abdullah also highlighted the legal process that is currently only targeting perpetrators in the field. According to him, legal handling must target all parties involved, including regional officials and supervisory officers who are suspected of conducting omission.

"If there are officials or officials who know but allow it, it must also be processed. Don't just be a mining entrepreneur who is sacrificed, while those who should guard them wash their hands," he said.

This PKB politician also emphasized the importance of maintaining the principle of justice in law enforcement. He said inequality in the legal process could damage public trust in state institutions.

"We are not talking about legal or illegal mining. We are talking about the lives of people, the responsibility of the state, and the integrity of the legal apparatus. The law must not be sharp downwards, blunt upwards. That is a principle that must be maintained," said Abduh.

Therefore, the member of the House of Representatives Law Commission encourages the Government and law enforcement officials to conduct a thorough evaluation of the mining sector. In particular, said Abduh, regarding licensing and monitoring mechanisms.

"We need mining supervision reforms. If the current model is left alone, cases such as Mount Kuda can be repeated in other areas," he explained.

"Don't let the death toll become routine because the system is damaged but not repaired," said Abduh.

Abduh also expressed his condolences to the victims of the landslide on Mount Kuda, Cirebon. He assessed that the company must take full responsibility for this incident.

"Military companies must provide accountability, including compensation for the families of workers who are victims," concluded Abduh.

The landslide incident in the Mount Kuda natural rock mining area occurred on Friday, May 30. At around 10:00 WIB, the cliff of the mine suddenly collapsed, hoarding workers who were carrying out mining activities. This disaster occurred in an area with very steep slope contours and fragile geological conditions due to the weathering process.

A total of 21 people died and 4 others are still in the search process. Mining activities are known to use techniques that weaken the slope structure and exacerbate disaster risk.

The police have named 2 suspects, namely the Head of the Al-Azariyah Cooperative with the initials AK as the mine owner and the Head of AR Mining Engineering who served as an operational supervisor in the field.

Both have been proven to continue carrying out mining activities, even though they have received a letter of prohibition from the local ESDM Office. The ban was issued on January 8, 2025 and strengthened with a second warning letter on March 19, 2025, because mining activities have not yet received approval from the Work Plan and Budget (RKAB).