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Plan to grant universities mining concessions draws flak
An ongoing revision to the Mining Law that includes a plan to grant higher education institutions concessions for minerals mining has drawn criticism from civil groups, who call the move pork barrel politics.
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The Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) in North Konawe, Central Sulawesi, a key hub in the country's nickel-processing industry, is pictured on May 14, 2023. (AFP/Riza Salman)
An ongoing revision to the Mining Law that includes a plan to grant higher education institutions concessions for minerals mining has drawn criticism from civil groups, who call the move pork barrel politics.
The House of Representatives Legislation Body (Baleg) held a series of meetings in Jakarta on Monday, while lawmakers were still on an official recess, to deliberate a revision to Law No. 4/2009 on minerals and coal.
Among the changes proposed at Monday’s meetings was an article stipulating that special license areas (WIUPKs) for mineral mining could be granted to higher education institutions. The article would require universities to have at least a B-level accreditation to qualify for a WIUPK.
“There’s a need to prioritize religious organizations in managing mining operations in the new law, as well as higher education institutions,” Baleg chair Bob Hasan of the Gerindra Party said at a livestreamed meeting on Monday.
“In the future, people living near mining areas will not just be exposed to pollution from exploitation activities but will also have an opportunity to be directly involved in mining activities. This is a mandate of Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution,” he continued.
Aside from religious organizations and educational institutions, a plan emerged to grant local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) mining concessions.
