President Prabowo Committed to Protecting Nature, Illegal Mining Crackdown

Jakarta – The administration of President Prabowo Subianto has demonstrated a strong commitment to eradicating illegal mining to preserve national natural resources and ensure their utilization for the benefit of the people. Law enforcement officials have taken a number of concrete steps, from Central Kalimantan to West Papua.

The National Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri) is currently investigating alleged illegal mining activities of non-metallic zircon minerals by PT Karya Res Lisbeth Mineral in Central Kalimantan.

“There is currently one person named Marcel Sunyoto, Director of PT Karya Lisbeth,” explained the Director of Certain Crimes (Dirtipidter) of the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency, Brigadier General Nunung Syaifuddin.

Nunung added that several pieces of evidence have been collected and his team is currently coordinating with experts for further legal proceedings.

“This week, the suspect determination will be held. The suspects are suspected of being charged under Articles 158 and 161 of the Mineral and Coal Mining Law,” he added.

This case emerged following the circulation of a letter revoking the RKAB approval by the Central Kalimantan Provincial Energy and Mineral Resources Agency, as a result of an evaluation of illegal Zircon mining activities in the region.

Meanwhile, a major revelation also occurred in West Papua. The West Papua Regional Police’s Special Criminal Investigation Directorate successfully arrested 19 suspects involved in illegal gold mining in the Wariori River, Masni District, Manokwari Regency.

“We emphasize that law enforcement efforts will continue to the root causes to preserve the environment and uphold the rule of law in West Papua,” said the Director of Special Crimes of the West Papua Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Sonny M. Nugroho.

The confiscated evidence included six excavators, 250 grams of gold, gold processing equipment, documents, and fake precious metal certificates. Police are also hunting two suspects on the run.

Meanwhile, Samsudin Saman, Chairman of the National Student League for Democracy (LMND), expressed his support for the Prabowo administration’s decisive stance.

“The Prabowo government has firmly committed to eradicating illegal mining, which damages the environment and erodes state revenues,” he said.

This decisive action deserves appreciation as clear evidence that under President Prabowo’s leadership, Indonesia will not tolerate environmental destruction caused by illegal mining.**