Morowali Nickel Smelter Fire Recurs; Showing Govt Weak Governance in the Industry, DPR Says

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A fire at a nickel smelter, similar to that in PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel (ITSS), reoccurred at PT Sulawesi Mining Investment (SMI). Chinese-owned smelter furnace caught fire on Friday night, January 19, 2024. 

The House of Representatives Commission VII member, Mulyanto, viewed that the recurring incident at PT Indonesian Morowali Industrial Park smelters was due to the government's weakness in managing the nickel industry. "Two months ago, the explosion at PT ITTS smelter killed 21. Then the explosion at PT GNI smelter and now at PT SMI. These consecutive smelter explosions show that smelter industry management is not as good as the government advertises," said Mulyanto in an official statement on Saturday, Jan. 20.

He said that the series of accidents occurred because the government was slow in auditing all smelter companies owned by China. The government, he went on, was supposed to be actively conducting audits of all of the Chinese smelter companies since the first explosion of a smelter furnace at PT Gunbuster Nickel Industries (GNI) last year.

"The government must be professional in monitoring the implementation of the Occupational Security and Safety program in all China companies including in monitoring the reliability of work tools and the facilities used during the production," said Mulyanto.

The government must not be weak and afraid to carry out strict supervision because these companies are owned by Chinese investors. The government must be assertive and immediately conduct an audit of all Chinese smelters and evaluate the smelter industry management.

"We're afraid that with all the convenience, as well as the fiscal and non-fiscal incentives offered by the government, these smelter companies are actually negligent and reckless in managing the industry. At the end of the day, the workers become the victims," said Mulyanto.

The government should not stop looking for the causes of the nickel smelter explosion in negligence at the worker level, but more deeply and comprehensively at the corporate level, namely industrial business governance. "The government should not hesitate to revoke permits for smelter industries that are proven to be rebellious," said Mulyanto.

A nickel smelter furnace owned by PT Sulawesi Mining Investment (SMI) in Morowali Regency, Central Sulawesi, caught fire on Friday night, January 19, 2024. Morowali Police Chief Suprianto stated the smelter furnace did not explode, instead, it caught fire. Suprianto said no casualties in this incident, yet two crane operators working near the location were affected by the smoke, causing shortness of breath. "They've been treated by the medical team and their condition is fine now, there is no problem," he said Saturday, Jan. 20.

Suprianto said he has yet to confirm the cause of the fire and that his team is still investigating it.

ADE RIDWAN YANDWIPUTRA | HAN REVANDA PUTRA

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