East Kutai Regent Claims to have New Evidences Against Churchill
5 March 2014 15:54 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - East Kutai Regent Isran Noor is confident that the Indonesian government will win in the lawsuit against Churchill Mining, which challenges the revocation of its mining license in 2010.
Isran believed that revoking Ridlatama Group's mining permit was appropriate since the company has violated a number of regulations, including illegal mining activities in forest area without for permits at the Forest Ministry. Ridlatama Group is a domestic company where Churchill Mining invests its money.
In addition, the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) found that the company had forged former East Kalimantan Governor Awang Farouk’s signature in several documents.
Regulations state that mining permits can only be acquired by Indonesian citizens or legal entities that have its majority shares owned by Indonesian citizens.
According to Isran, Churchill's acquired Ridlatama illegally because the acquisition puts a domestic mining company in foreign hands. The law of foreign investment governs that foreign investors can only set cooperation agreements in mining sectors with the government of the Republic of Indonesia.
Isran said he will file a report to the police in regards to the forged documents.
ANANDA W. PUTRI | ANGGA SUKMA WIJAYA