Jokowi, Prabowo to be Quizzed on Freeport Environmental Issues
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11 February 2019 13:59 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Freeport environmental issue is estimated to be a hot topic during the second election debate. The presidential candidate number 01 Jokowi - Ma’ruf and the candidate pair number 02 Prabowo - Sandiaga will be likely questioned about the matter as the energy and environment are the themes of the event on Sunday, February 17.
“The government has reduced the environmental violations worth Rp183 trillion as a share divestment, by sacrificing the rights of Papua people,” said the Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) head Merah Johansyah via a short message to Tempo, Sunday, February 10.
Merah questioned the bravery of Jokowi and Prabowo Subianto to suppress Freeport in light of the environmental woes and will the government provide freedom for Papuans to decide should the mining site is closed or continued.
“Why do you [the government] diminish veto rights of the Papua people by handing shares to several regional elites only?” Merah noted.
The environmental violations done by Freeport was published by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) following its examination or audit result into the work contract with Freeport Indonesia in 2018. According to the findings, the losses from the environmental damages totaled Rp185 trillion.
CAESAR AKBAR
