Prabowo Wants To Close 1,000 Illegal Tin Minings In Bangka Belitung

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Presiden Prabowo Subianto mengungkapkan akan melakukan penutupan secara besar-besaran terhadap 1.000 tambang tin ilegal di Provinsi Bangka Belitung. Hal ini diungkapkannya dalam penutupan Musyawarah Nasional (Munas) Ke-6 Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS) di The Sultan Hotel & Residence Jakarta, Senin, 29 September.

Prabowo emphasized that he would clean up systemic robbery, including Indonesia's natural wealth that had been dredged up so far.

"For example, in Bangka Belitung, which has been a leading lead mining center for a long time in the world, there are 1,000 illegal mines, there are 1,000 illegal mines," said Prabowo, Monday, September 29.

He said that since September 1, he had ordered the TNI, Polri and Customs and Excise to carry out massive operations to eradicate this illegal mine.

Prabowo claims that so far around 80 percent of Indonesia's tin has been smuggled abroad through various routes including ferries.

"Now it's closed. You can't get out of the canoe," he said. With this effort, Prabowo estimates that he can save IDR 22 trillion by the end of 2025. Meanwhile, with the closure of 1,000 illegal mines, Prabowo estimates that he can save state money of up to IDR 45 trillion in 2026.

"Next year we estimate we can save IDR 45 trillion from these two islands alone," he explained.

On the other hand, Prabowo also said that the 'limbah' of tin ponds that hold hope because they contain rare earth metals (LTJ) is of high value

"Maybe our officials don't understand it, they think it's waste even though the land is rare, so now I order customs to recruit several chemical experts, so that they check, when they see sand, even though this sand is of extraordinary value," said Prabowo.