Astra Group Subsidiary Owner Of Martabe Gold Mine Sealed By KLH

Emar Martabe Mine (Doc: Agincourt Resources)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Environment (KLH) has sealed four companies that are suspected of exacerminating flooding in Aceh and Sumatra. Deputy Minister of Environment Diaz Faisal Malik Hendropriyono said the four companies had been fitted with Environmental Protection and Management lines (PPKH).

"There are 4 companies that have installed the Supervisory Board and PPLH Line seal including," Diaz told the media crew.

The four companies consist of PT Agincourt Resources which is engaged in gold mining, PT North Sumatra Hydro Energy (NSHE) developer of PLTA Batang Toru, PT Perkebunan Nusantara III (PTPN III), and palm oil plantation company PT Sago Nauli.

Based on the search, PT Agincourt Resources belongs to PT Danusa Tambang Nusantara (95%) and a small part of the local government (5%), while Danusa itself is a subsidiary of PT United Tractors Tbk (UNTR) and PT Pamapersada Nusantara (PAMA), all of which are under the conglomerate PT Astra International Tbk. So, overall, PT Agincourt Resources is part of Astra's business group through its mining line.

The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) of North Sumatra (North Sumatra) suspects that gold mining activities belonging to PT Agincourt Resourches (Martabe) or Martabe Mine are in the midst of landslides and floods that are currently occurring in North Sumatra.

"At the top of the hills stands a magnificent corporation of foreign gold mining PT Agincourt Resourches (Martabe)," said Walhi North Sumatra, quoted by VOI from his Instagram account, Saturday, December 6.

Walhi said there was a photo from the satellite regarding the opening of the forest in the Harangan Tapanuli area, precisely in Batang Toru sub-district, South Tapanuli which was very massive.

"Even though at the location of the forest it is rich in high conservation values and becomes a natural bastion in the event of rain," said Walhi.

Walhi also said that the government and the public must carefully look at all forms of industry in various sectors that explore nature. One of them is an accurate and careful Analysis of Environmental Impacts (AMDAL) study.

"It's time to stop greed that sacrifices the safety of citizens and the sustainability of the ecosystem. The permit for the establishment of the PT Agincourt Resourches gold mine must be checked and evaluated immediately. There is no room for investment if the community and the environment are victims," said Walhi.