Former East Lombok Regent Examined Again to Be a Witness in the Iron Sand Mining Case

DOK ANTARA

MATARAM - Former East Lombok Regent Ali Bin Dachlan is again undergoing examination as a witness in the case of the iron sand mine in the Dedalpak Block before investigators from the West Nusa Tenggara High Prosecutor's Office.

"Yes, the former official with the initials ABD (Ali Bin Dachlan) was questioned again today as a witness," said NTB Attorney Spokesperson Efrien Saputera quoted by ANTARA, Friday, March 10.

Meanwhile, Ali Bin Dachlan's legal adviser, Basri Mulyani, who also confirmed by telephone, confirmed the questioning.

"Yes, about an hour checked," said Basri.

The examination of Ali Bin Dachlan as a witness, which lasted for about an hour, began after Friday prayers in the special criminal investigator's room.

"Because this is an examination as a witness, I cannot accompany him inside. Mr. Ali went into the investigator's room himself. So, he did not know what the examination materials were," he said.

However, he only confirmed that the second examination was related to the fulfillment of additional information.

"So, its nature is only to confirm it, in addition to the previous examination," he said.

In this case, Ali Bin Dachlan underwent his first examination as a witness in the iron sand mining case in the Dedalpak Ink Block on February 13, 2023.

At the first examination, the East Lombok District Attorney, Sukiman Azmy, and NTB Regional Secretary (Sekda) Lalu Gita Ariadi were also present.

The former East Lombok Regent previously revealed to investigators that he had issued a decision letter (SK) for the relocation of PT Anugerah Mitra Graha's (AMG) sand mine in 2014.

In the decree issued by Ali Bin Dachlan while serving as Regent of East Lombok for the 2013-2018 period, it contains the relocation of PT AMG's mines located in Anggaraksa Village, Pringgabaya District, and Korleko Village, Labuhan Haji District, to Ijobalit Village and Suryawangi Village in the District of Labuan Hajj.

Ali Bin Dachlan issued a relocation decree for the two locations based on a request from PT AMG which referred to the licensing decree for PT AMG from the Regent of East Lombok in 2011.

Basri as Ali BIn Dachlan's legal adviser also confirmed that since the issuance of a relocation decree issued in 2014, PT AMG has never carried out iron sand mining at the two new locations due to resistance from residents.

Reportedly, continued Basri, the government followed up the action against mining activities by revoking the relocation decree. The relocation decree was revoked by the NTB Provincial Government in 2018.

PT AMG carrying out mining in East Lombok Regency was revealed based on the Decree of the East Lombok Regent Number: 2821/503/PPT.II/2011 concerning Approval of Increasing Mining Business Permits (IUP) for Exploration to IUP Operations for Production of Iron Sand Minerals and Follower Minerals in Dedalpak Block, Pringgabaya District and Labuhan Haji District, East Lombok Regency to PT Anugerah Mitra Graha (AMG).

The decision letter number: 2821/503/PPT.II/2011 was issued when M. Sukiman Azmy was East Lombok Regent for the 2008-2013 period.

In the statement of the letter, the East Lombok Regent issued a decision to increase the Exploration Mining Permit to Production Operations for Iron Sand and Follower Minerals in the Dedalpak Block for PT AMG based on a request from the main director of PT AMG.

The East Lombok Regent in the decree agreed to increase the IUP for PT AMG based on the results of an evaluation which stated that the exploration activities had met the requirements.

Based on the decree, PT AMG conducts mining and processing activities using the "Magnetic Separation" system, which is the process of separating valuable minerals from impurities using the principle of magnetic attraction.

Apart from PT AMG, PT Varia Usaha Beton (VUB) also appeared, which also carried out the stone crusher processing in North Pringgabaya Village, Pringgabaya District. PT VUB carries out its business activities on the 1.348 hectare land with the capital of a Special Mining Business Permit (IUPK) for Processing.

The Head of the NTB ESDM Service Zainal Abidin previously also revealed that PT AMG, which acts as an iron sand mining company in the Dedalpak Block, has obtained a legal permit that is valid for 15 years from 2011 to 2026.

However, there are allegations that the company, which is headquartered in North Jakarta, will carry out mining activities from 2021 to 2022 without obtaining approval for the annual work plan and budget (RKAB) from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.