Minister Bahlil Silent on Alleged Mining Permit Violations in Raja Ampat

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia declined to comment on alleged legal violations concerning the granting of mining permits in Raja Ampat, Southwest Papua.

He confirmed that the government officially revoked four of the five nickel Mining Business Permits (IUPs) in Raja Ampat on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. The companies whose permits were revoked were PT Anugerah Surya Pratama (ASP), PT Mulia Raymond Perkasa (MRP), PT Kawei Sejahtera Mining (KSM), and PT Nurham. PT Gag Nikel, however, is still permitted to operate.

The issuance of these IUPs is suspected of violating Law Number 1 of 2014 concerning the Management of Coastal Areas and Small Islands. Bahlil remained silent when pressed about these alleged policy violations.

He only responded that PT Gag is still allowed to operate because the government considers the company to have good waste management practices, as per its environmental impact analysis (Amdal).

"You've seen the photos earlier. Alhamdulillah, it (PT Gag Nikel) complies with the Amdal. Given it is also part of the state assets, we supervise it properly. The President's direction is that we must supervise the environment properly. Until now, we opine that it will still be able to operate," Bahlil said at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.

Previously, Herdiansyah Hamzah, a constitutional law expert from Mulawarman University, suggested indications of corruption in the issuance of a nickel mining business permit in the Raja Ampat Islands, Southwest Papua.

The researcher at the Anti-Corruption Study Center (SAKSI) at the Faculty of Law, Mulawarman University, questioned why the mining business permit was issued at all. Herdiansyah emphasized that Law Number 1 of 2014 concerning the Management of Coastal Areas and Small Islands explicitly prohibits mining activities on small islands. Furthermore, this prohibition is reinforced by Constitutional Court Decision Number 35/PUU-XXI/2023.

"That means there is collusion between the licensing authority, in this case, the government, and mining companies. This is also important to target what is happening with the issued permits," Herdiansyah said on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

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