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Ministry denies involvement in alleged illegal nickel ore exports
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The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) building’s sign is pictured in Jakarta, on June 27, 2023. (AFP/Bay Ismoyo)
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s the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) continues an investigation into alleged illegal exports of nickel ore to China, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry claims it has not issued any approvals since the ban on the in-demand metal was implemented in 2020.
The ministry’s special staffer for the acceleration of mineral and coal management, Irwandy Arif, said that his ministry had never issued recommended export approvals to the Trade Ministry since the ban took effect
“From that period until now, there has been no plan to export nickel ore abroad in the yearly budget and work plan document approved by the [ministry’s] Directorate General of Mineral and Coal,” Irwandy said on Saturday, as quoted by Tempo.co.
KPK official Dian Patria revealed the allegations to media outlets on June 22 that China had received as much as 5.3 million tonnes of nickel ore from Indonesia, according to data recorded by China’s General Administration of Customs.
“It started from January 2020 to June 2022,” Dian said in her statement.
No details of the illegally exported nickel ore’s origin were mentioned, but Dian alleged that it came from nickel mines in Sulawesi or Maluku, two areas with the country’s biggest nickel producers.
Dian said the KPK had to conduct a study of the findings to make sure corruption played a role before it could act on the matter.
