East Kalimantan Police Chief Orders Paser Police To Overcome Clashes Of Residents With Coal Truck Drivers In Batu Kajang

Illustration. Transport trucks transport coal mining materials. (ANTARA-M Risyal H)

For almost a week, residents clashed with truck drivers transporting coal from South Kalimantan (Kalsel) in Batu Kajang, Batu Sopang District, Paser Regency, East Kalimantan (Kaltim).

The Head of the East Kalimantan Regional Police (Kapolda) Inspector General Pol Nanang Avianto said the clashes must be ended immediately. He ordered the Paser Police to resolve the conflict

"I have ordered the Paser Police Chief to check again there. It must be resolved immediately," said East Kalimantan Police Chief Inspector General Nanang Avianto, in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, Sunday, December 31, confiscated by Antara.

The residents of Batu Kajang are worried that their area will be crossed by coal transport trucks. They blocked the road to prohibit coal trucks from passing. However, the inevitable open clashes caused by a driver who was desperate to block residents.

The Regional Police Chief emphasized to the Paser Police Chief that he should immediately take action if there was a violation committed by the coal-carrying truck.

"If there is a traffic violation, go ahead and process it. I also emphasize, if you cannot be warned of efforts to enforce the law," said Nanang.

Trucks from Jaro District, Tabalong Regency, the northernmost region of South Kalimantan are transporting coal to a port in Kuaro, the area closest to the Makassar Strait. The coal transported is also suspected to have come from illegal mines, because the miners do not fulfill the obligation to build their own way to transport the coal they manage.

In East Kalimantan, there is Regional Regulation Number 10 of 2012 concerning the implementation of public roads and special roads for the transportation of coal and palm oil. The regional regulation emphasized the obligation of mining entrepreneurs to make their own roads for production coal transportation.

On that occasion, the East Kalimantan Police Chief Nanang Avianto advised residents to exercise restraint and maintain security and order.

"So that there are no more new problems. We must restrain ourselves," said the Kapolda.

According to residents, coal transportation activities through public roads have been running for the past few months. During that time, in Batu Sopang there were several accidents and reverse trucks involving coal trucks.

Batu Sopang is approximately 140 km from Balikpapan or 160 km from the capital city of Nusantara, and 100 kilometers from Tanjung, the capital of Tabalong Regency in South Kalimantan, where there is the State River, the river which is the main transportation for coal in the province.

On a separate occasion, East Kalimantan Governor Akmal Malik also emphasized that he would enforce the rules in Regional Regulation Number 10 2012 while coordinating with the parties.

"The rules for using roads for mining and plantation purposes must be obeyed by mining and plantation actors," he said.

In more detail, the Head of Road Traffic Division of the East Kalimantan Transportation Service, Endang Suherlan, said that currently his party has coordinated with the East Kalimantan Satpol PP. Enforcement will take place in January 2024.