Member Of Commission VII DPR Accuses Revision Of PP 96/2021 Government's Reasons To Smooth Freeport's Interest

Member of Commission VII DPR RI Mulyanto. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission VII DPR RI Mulyanto rejected the Government's plan to facilitate the renewal of the mining permit for PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) through the revision of PP No. 96 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of Mineral and Coal Mining Business Activities.

Mulyanto assessed that the revision of the PP was only a trick by the government to secure the interests of PTFI because the mining permit renewal could not be processed according to existing regulations but wanted to be extended immediately.

"I suspect that the plan to revise the PP mineral and coal is to accommodate PTFI's request, which seems eager to be able to renew their mining business license, even though the time has not met the existing regulations," Mulyanto said in a statement to the media, Monday, March 1.

Mulyanto said the idea of revising the PP was not elegant if it was just to secure the interests of PTFI or just chasing it aired at the end of President Jokowi's administration.

According to him, this will damage the long-term order of the national mineral and coal management system. Therefore, he urged Commission VII of the DPR RI to reject this plan and summoned ESDM Minister Arifin Tasrif to confirm and explain the rationality of the plan.

According to Mulyanto, there is no urgency to rush to grant an extension permit to PTFI, especially by changing the existing PP.

For this reason, Mulyanto asked Jokowi to submit matters for extending Freeport's permit to the upcoming government to be more objective.

"This makes it seem that the government wants to catch up at the end of his term of office," Mulyanto quipped.

Mulyanto added that the important thing that needs to be done is to evaluate the performance of this PTFI before they apply for a permit update.

"PTFI does not deserve to be given an extension of the permit because the performance so far has not been good. The proof is that the schedule for the construction of the smelter continues more than eight times. The government should have been more careful in granting permits instead of making it easier," said Mulyanto.

According to Mulyanto, the Minerba Law which has just mandated that the PTFI smelter must have become in June 2023 and since then there has been a ban on concentrat exports.

But in fact, concentrat exports are still allowed until December 2023, even plus 6 more months until May 2024.

"It is suspected that the PTFI smelter is also not optimal in May 2024, so it needs to be relaxed for concentrat exports again. The Government is closing its eyes with the performance of being removed like this, even willing to change the PP to just give PTFI a red carpet to extend their mining permit. This is a big thing", said Mulyanto.