Novel Baswedan Pori Corruption Task Force Reminds Potential State Loss Due To Illegal Oil Mining

PALEMBANG - The National Police's Corruption Prevention Task Force (Tipikor) assessed that crude oil mining activities in South Sumatra Province (Sumsel) have the potential to harm state finances.

Deputy Chairperson of the National Police's Corruption Prevention Special Task Force Novel Baswedan said the potential loss to state finances could occur considering that currently the number of illegal or illegal oil wells in South Sumatra is increasingly mushrooming.

Based on records from the South Sumatra Provincial Government, there are at least four districts that are illegal oil well mining areas.

The four areas are in Musi Banyuasin Regency, Penukal Abab Lematang Ilir (PALI), Muara Enim and Musi Rawas Utara.

The existence of this illegal oil well was found to be mostly located in Musi Banyuasin Regency with a total of more than 7,000 wells in 2021.

According to him, the unclear governance of community oil mining activities also adds to the increasing potential for corruption that could harm state finances.

During a group discussion with all relevant agencies at the Novotel Hotel Palembang, Tuesday (11/7) it was revealed that the government-owned oil company became the buyer of illegal oil mining with a value of 70 percent of the selling price properly.

"Therefore, the National Police Chief is currently concerned about resolving the issue of oil and gas governance, including illegal drilling in South Sumatra," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, July 12.

Novel said that in the design of its implementation, the National Police Task Force Team was not only oriented towards efforts to prevent corruption. However, it also helps find solutions to how to maintain maximum public safety due to the impact of illegal oil mining activities.

The South Sumatra Police noted that oil mining activities in addition to polluting the river flow, damaging the habitat of endemic animals in forest areas, also claimed lives in the explosion of oil wells.

Finally, the explosion of an oil well in Batang Hari Leko District, Musi Banyuasin caused two residents to suffer serious burns each with the initials NSI and HMI, on June 12, 2023.

The police stated that the NSI victim died moments after the incident, while the HMI victim was still undergoing intensive treatment at the hospital in critical condition. "The humanitarian mission must be carried out," he said.