Bahlil: We Won't Force Religious Organizations into Accepting Mining Business Permits

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Investment Bahlil Lahadalia said that he would not force social or religious organizations to accept mining permits prepared by the government. But the head of the Investment Coordinating Board said the government would continue to disseminate Government Regulation 25/2024, which allows community organizations to manage mines.

"If they don't want to, we won't force them. I believe that everything that is well-intentioned will produce something good," he said at the Presidential Palace after being summoned by President Joko Widodo on Monday, June 10.

When asked about the possibility of re-auctioning the mining permits not taken by organizations, Bahlil reminded that there are strict conditions for organizations, including that they must have a business entity and that the IUPs are not transferable. He also said that a number of mass organizations have submitted applications for mining permits, which are currently being verified.

Not all religious organizations are jumping at the chance to apply for mining concession permits. Jakarta Archbishop Ignatius Cardinal Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo said the Bishops' Conference of Indonesia (KWI) would not apply for a mining permit.

"This is because our job is not to look for mines and other things," the Cardinal said after a meeting at the Jakarta Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs in East Jakarta on Wednesday, June 5.

The Huria Kristen Batak Protestants (HKBP) also said they would not try to obtain a mining concession. In a written statement received by Tempo on Saturday, June 8, HKBP Ephorus Pastor Robinson Butarbutar said the HKBP Protestant Church refused to participate based on the contents of the 1996 HKBP Confession, which states that the HKBP's duty is to be responsible for protecting the environment from exploitation by humans in the name of development.

The government has prepared six special coal mining concession areas (WIUPK) for the business entities of religious organizations. According to Energy Minister Arifin Tasrif, these are coal mining areas that have been in production or areas that were previously worked under the first-generation coal mining concession work agreement (PKP2B).

The six WIUPKs being prepared are the former PKP2B land of PT Arutmin Indonesia, PT Kendilo Coal Indonesia, PT Kaltim Prima Coal, PT Adaro Energy Tbk, PT Multi Harapan Utama (MAU) and PT Kideco Jaya Agung. Arifin said the religious organization's business entities are given a five-year limit to manage the mining area.

EKA YUDHA SAPUTRA, ANTARA

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