Providing Mining Concession For Universities And Religious Organizations Is An Example Of The Miscarriage Of Thinking About Indonesian Political Elites

Mining contractor activity of PT Putra Perkasa Abadi at a coal mine site in South Kalimantan. (ANTARA/HO-PPA)

JAKARTA Providing mining concessions for universities continues to be a topic of conversation. Indonesian founder Climate Justice Literacy Firdaus Cahyadi said that the provision of mining concessions to religious organizations and universities is one way to reduce community resistance which is starting to have awareness about the environment.

"The idea of providing mining concessions for universities is one example of the success of thinking of political elites in looking at natural resource problems," said Firdaus in a statement received by VOI.

This was in response to the discourse of providing mining IUPs for universities in the preparation of the Draft Law on the Fourth Amendment to Law Number 4 of 2009 concerning Mineral and Coal Mining (RUU Minerba) by the DPR RI.

Previously, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia said the Minerba Bill opened up opportunities for universities to manage mines as good intentions, according to Article 33 paragraph (3) of the 1945 Constitution stating that the earth, water and natural wealth are controlled by the state and used for the welfare of the people.

"I think (the Minerba Bill) is a good intention, bro. In order to restore the spirit from Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution," Bahlil said, quoting Antara.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, said that the revision of the Minerba Law was aimed at providing alternatives for campuses to seek funding sources. Likewise, the statement by the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Private Higher Education Association (APTISI) Budi Djatmiko suggested that the granting of mining business permits to universities, one of which was to ease the cost of single tuition fees (UKT) which continued to creep up.

However, Firdaus Cahyadi emphasized that the reason for distributing mining concessions to universities to help with campus funding was very unreasonable.

"There are still many ways to help fund universities outside of sharing mining concessions," he said.

The distribution of mining concessions to universities, continued Firdaus, further emphasized that Indonesia's development in the future is based on an extractive development model that destroys nature.

"This natural damage will certainly reap resistance from the community," he explained.

"The provision of mining concessions to religious organizations and universities is one way to reduce community resistance which is starting to have awareness about the environment," he added.

Prior to this, mining businesses also became a polemic. In the middle of last year, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), who was still president at that time, officially issued Government Regulation (PP) Number 25 of 2024 which is an amendment to Government Regulation (PP) Number 96 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of Mineral and Coal Mining Business Activities.

One of the new Beleids provides space for religious community organizations (ormas) to be able to manage the Special Mining Business Permit Area (WIUPK) in Indonesia.

So far, there are two largest religious organizations in Indonesia that have received an offer to give priority to the Special Mining Business Permit Area (WIUPK), namely Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah.

Muhammadiyah will certainly manage the land of the former Coal Mining Concession Work Agreement (PKP2B) of Adaro Group, in South Kalimantan. They followed NU, which previously received mining land in East Kalimantan.

It is believed that religious organizations that accept mining concessions will reduce the community's resistance to mines that damage the environment by unilateral interpretation of religious texts.

"Meanwhile, universities that receive mining concessions will produce arguments that seem scientific to justify or normalize nature and social damage due to mines," said Firdaus.

"Political Elite which provides mining concessions for religious organizations and universities such as assigning the two institutions that become a symbol of morals and knowledge to deceive the public about mining damage," he said again.

Firdaus Cahyadi further revealed that the reason for nationalism that currently mining is mostly controlled by foreigners is also an unreasonable reason. For this reason, he invited the public to speak out strongly against mining concessions for universities.

"Anyone who controls mines, both foreign and national, cannot eliminate the ecological and social damage to mines," he continued.

"The public must speak out loud against the mining concession for this university, do not be fooled by arguments that seem nationalist," Firdaus added.

Walhi's Deputy for National External Executive, Mukri Friyatna, agrees with the statement. He reminded that universities are not legal entities whose main focus is on getting profit only but should play a role in developing science and technology and preparing a generation that is intelligent, reliable and accomplished.

"Let the campus remain independent, do not be damaged. Incorporating universities as mine managers is the same as submerging and weakening independence itself," he said.