Marak Illegal Mining Damages Nature in West Sumatra, Mulyadi Urges Law Enforcement Agencies to Take Action against Capitalists

Member of Commission I of the DPR from the Democratic Faction, Mulyadi/DOK ISTIMEWA

Member of Commission I of the DPR, Mulyadi, urged law enforcement officers with the assistance of the TNI to immediately intervene to take action against parties who have modified (cukong) the activities of Unauthorized Mining (PETI) or illegal gold mining using heavy equipment in West Sumatra (Sumbar). He emphasized that the dirty practice that damages nature should not be allowed.

"Please, the actualization of the TNI's role must be realized to control illegal mines that have not been able to be controlled for years," said Mulyadi in his statement, Friday, May 29.

This demand was also conveyed by Mulyadi in the Working Meeting (Raker) of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives with the Minister of Defense, the TNI Commander, and the Chief of Staff of the Army (KSAD) some time ago.

Information circulating in the community, there are two names with initials N and R that are rumored to be the big boss of illegal gold mines in the West Pasaman and Pasaman Regency areas.

Responding to this, the Chairman of the West Sumatra DPD of the Democratic Party emphasized the need for cross-institutional intervention and synergy to regulate illegal mining activities that were suspected of being backed by individuals. Moreover, the activities that damage nature have been going on for years.

Therefore, Mulyadi asked the police and the TNI not to stand idly by and immediately conduct a thorough investigation into every information circulating in the community.

"The wealth and sustainability of West Sumatra's natural resources must be saved from the greedy hands that are only oriented towards enriching themselves without worrying about environmental damage," he said.

The Democrat legislator from the West Sumatra II District also emphasized the target of enforcement. According to him, the police must prioritize the eradication of large-scale illegal mines that operate using heavy equipment such as excavators, not small communities that collect gold traditionally.

As long as the People's Mining Area (WPR) and People's Mining Permit (IPR) have not been officially issued, Mulyadi assessed that the activities of small communities with simple mining tools can still be tolerated because they are purely for daily survival.

"What must be immediately disciplined is those who use heavy equipment. It doesn't make sense if dozens or even hundreds of excavators operate at one location, then it is claimed to be a people's mine," he said.

The practice of gold mining using heavy equipment along the river basin in West Sumatra is often associated with massive ecological damage. Deforestation and changes in the river course due to massive excavator dredging have become triggers for hydrometeorological disasters, such as flash floods and landslides that harm the surrounding community and even repeatedly swallow many human lives.

Therefore, Mulyadi again emphasized that the police should focus on taking action against the main perpetrators or bosses who control and modify heavy equipment.

He even asked that legal steps should result in the seizure of excavators as evidence so that the destructive machines would no longer return to the mine site. Most importantly, the authorities are not selective in trapping the perpetrators.

"No one can be untouched by the law. The king and the officers who support this illegal mine must be dealt with firmly, whoever it is, so that similar incidents do not happen again," concluded Mulyadi.