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KPK deputy chairman says mining violations behind Sulawesi floods
KPK deputy chairman Laode Muhammad Syarif said mining companies often neglected their responsibilities to reclaim their mining sites, leading to increased floods.
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Two people wade through floodwaters in Tonduno village, South Konawe regency, Southeast Sulawesi, on Monday. Twenty-eight villages in 17 districts in the regency are reportedly inundated with floodwaters that have damaged thousands of homes and displaced 995 people, according to the local natural disaster mitigation agency. (Antara/Jojon)
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orruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairman Laode Muhammad Syarif has said that mining violations are likely one of the causes behind the heavy flooding that has affected Southeast Sulawesi recently.
Laode said that Southeast Sulawasi was home to nearly 400 nickel mines, but that the industry only contributed 12 percent of the province's revenue.
"This is very small, not commensurate with what has been mined," he said in Kendari on Monday as quoted by tempo.co.
He added that mining companies often neglected their responsibilities to reclaim their mining sites, leading to increased floods, which could cost trillions of rupiah in environmental and physical damages.
Laode called on local governments to follow the regulations when awarding mining permits.
"Please make improvements, don't be fooled, it's sad that we're continually being taken advantage of when the impact is very large," he said.
However, he said that it was hard to know if corruption was one of the violations committed by mining companies.
"Proving that corruption occurred in the mining sector is not that easy," he said as quoted by Antara. "It's like a fart — the smell disturbs people nearby but proving who farted requires strong evidence."
He added that both local and central governments should pay close attention to the mining industry to ensure that companies followed the prevailing regulations. (kmt)
