Entrepreneurs Hope The Special Unit For Law Enforcement At The Ministry Of Energy And Mineral Resources Can Eradicate Illegal Mining

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI) supports the government's move to form a special law enforcement unit within the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM).

The law enforcement unit is expected to suppress the activities of Unlicensed Mining (Crate) or illegal mining which is increasingly rampant in Indonesia.

"We believe the government understands better," said APBI Executive Director Hendra Sinadia as quoted from Antara, Thursday, August 25.

According to Hendra, the plan to form a special unit for law enforcement within the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources could be because the Civil Servant Investigator (PPNS) is considered not effective enough.

APBI, continued Hendra, always coordinates with the government to convey data and facilitate law enforcement efforts to eradicate these unauthorized activities.

"Each coal company has internal efforts to minimize the impact of Peti and also coordinate with law enforcement officials," he said.

Hendra said, illegal mining is not impossible to prevent. Just waiting for the momentum of the movement of coal commodity prices.

"These irresponsible activities often occur if there is a spike in commodity prices. APBI member companies also always coordinate with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to report these activities," he said.

Previously, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Rida Mulyana, said that the supervision over the management of energy resources and mineral resources in the form of security and law enforcement at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, which is currently being carried out by PPNS, was deemed insufficient.

Therefore, it is possible to form a new unit that specifically handles law enforcement in mining activities that are proven to have committed irregularities. Moreover, this initiative received a positive response and support from the House of Representatives (DPR), the Ombudsman of the Republic of Indonesia (ORI) and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

"Regarding law enforcement and strengthening PPNS in carrying out law enforcement activities (Gakum) in the ESDM sector, it is coupled with a recommendation from the Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security, that the existence of a law enforcement unit in the ESDM sector is a necessity," said Rida in Jakarta, Monday (22 /8).

Data from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources until the third quarter of 2021 states that currently there are 2,741 Crate locations spread across various regions in Indonesia. A total of 96 coal crates are located in East Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Bengkulu, and South Sumatra.

In addition, there are 2,645 mineral crates located in almost all provinces which are increasing day by day.

PETI activities also involve around 3.7 million workers, with details of approximately 480 locations outside the Mining Business Permit Area (WIUP), and 133 locations inside the WIUP, and 2,128 locations are not yet known to be inside or outside the WIUP. will be identified.

The description of the specific conditions currently occurring (the high number of law violations in the Energy and Mineral Resources Sector and the low number of prosecutions) shows a contradiction between the needs and the reality so that the formation of a unit specifically in charge of law enforcement is a necessity that is urgently needed.

Member of Commission VII DPR from the PDI-P faction, Adian Napitupulu, also supported the establishment of a special unit in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to handle law enforcement.

Moreover, there are thousands of illegal mines and thousands whose licenses have been revoked due to violations.

Member of Commission VII of the DPR from the PAN faction, Mulyanto, said that Commission VII of the DPR had actually proposed changing the nomenclature within the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources by adding a new structure, namely a law enforcement unit.

"During the Working Meeting with the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, last Wednesday (24/8), I raised this issue and came to the conclusion of the Working Meeting," he said.