As A Result Of The Detention Of The Former Director General Of Mineral And Coal, Mining Activities In Antam's Mandiodo Block Were Stopped

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif (Photo: Doc. Maria Trisnawati/VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Arifin Tasrif ensured that all mining activities in the Mandiodo Block, North Konawe Regency (Konut), Southeast Sulawesi (Sultra) were temporarily suspended.

The termination of this mining activity is the impact of the detention of the former Director General of Mineral and Coal (Dirjen Minerba) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ridwan Djamaluddin by the Attorney General's Office as a suspect in the alleged corruption case of mining or nickel in the mining permit area (IUP) of PT Antam in the Mandodo Block.

"Yes, stop it," said Arifin, who was met by the media crew at his office, Friday, August 11.

This is in line with what has been conveyed by the Special Staff of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Irwandy Arif, all mining activities will be stopped until the legal process has been completed.

"Yes, of course (stopped) if this is done, there will be no activity if there is a problem, right?" said Irwandi briefly.

Previously, it was reported that the Attorney General's Office had named two new suspects in a case that cost the state finances of Rp. 5.7 trillion, namely Ridwan Djamaluddin, the former Director General of Mineral and Coal (Minerba) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), and HJ, the sub-coordinator of the work plan and budget (RKAB) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

"Regarding the case at the Southeast Sulawesi High Prosecutor's Office, which has so far named 10 suspects, today we have named two suspects. So the two suspects are from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources," said the Head of the Legal Information Center (Kapuspenkum) of the Attorney General's Office, Ketut Sumedana, Thursday, August 10.

The role of the two suspects, said Sumedana, gave a policy related to the Mandiodo Block which caused a total state loss of Rp. 5.7 trillion.

The two suspects were then detained at the Salemba Detention Center at the Attorney General's Office for 20 days starting from August 9 to 28. After the case is declared complete, the two suspects will be detained at the Southeast Sulawesi Prosecutor's Office.