Mining Permits for Indonesian Universities Draw Criticism

January 26, 2025 | 01:45 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Ruang Setara Project founder Aulia Hakim criticized the DPR's decision to approve the Legislative Body's (Baleg) proposal on the revision of the Law on Minerals and Coal or Minerba Bill. The revised policy includes the granting of mining business permits (IUP) or mining permits for universities.

According to Aulia, the proposal to grant mining permits to universities is a step backwards in natural resource management. Moreover, the government has previously granted IUP to religious community organizations (ormas). Therefore, Aulia assessed that the DPR's move to make a new proposal for campuses to participate in managing mines indicates that political elites are unable to interpret and realize the mandate of the 1945 Constitution Article 33 paragraph 3 concerning the management of natural resources for the welfare of the people.

"Why not grant IUP to mine workers' unions, empower regional companies, or encourage the initiative to nationalize mining assets from the private sector," said Aulia in a written statement on Saturday, January 25, 2025. "If you really want fairer and more targeted mining management, it should not be religious mass organizations and universities that are given access to manage mines."

According to Aulia, granting mining permits to religious organizations and universities will ultimately be biased towards the interests of certain elites. Providing operational plots for campuses, he said, does not guarantee that universities can escape the problem of funding educational institutions and then be able to meet the needs of the people. The Central Sulawesi environmental activist also urged the DPR not to continue the revision of the Minerba Law. "President Prabowo must also be firm and able to interpret the mandate of the constitution, that natural resources are not for individual prosperity but for all Indonesian people," said Aulia.

Moreover, Aulia added, mining activities often have an impact on the environment. In his notes, in Central Sulawesi there were 1,150 IUPs as of 2021, which included mineral and rock mining in 13 districts/cities. However, these mining practices have caused deforestation and ecological disasters, such as floods and landslides.

"The natural resources have become a source of income for elite groups, while the ecological disasters are borne by the people," said the man who was once an environmental activist at the Central Sulawesi Environmental Forum (Walhi).

Previously, the Chairman of the DPR RI Legislation Body, Bob Hasan, stated that the proposal to grant mining business permits through auction or priority to universities came from the government. The reason is that the government hopes that by granting this permit, it can improve the quality of education in Indonesia.

Bob said that the government is aware that improving the quality of education requires quality educational facilities, places, facilities and infrastructure. "Therefore, for that budget, an opportunity is given for each university to be able to manage mining. Because there is an element called business," said Bob.

Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) campaigner Alfarhat Kasman also considered the proposal as a form of the government's lack of seriousness in improving the welfare of academics. Because by granting mining permits, the government seems to be burdening the financial responsibility of the campus just like that.

Along with the emergence of polemics, DPR Speaker Puan Maharani claimed that the proposal for the Minerba Bill was carried out according to the existing mechanism in the DPR. She did not agree if the Minerba Bill seemed to be discussed in a closed and sudden manner because it had gone through a leadership meeting and the Consultative Body.

According to Puan, the DPR Legislation Body will implement meaningful participation. She will give instructions for Baleg to actively seek input from outside, including on the issue of granting mining permits to universities. Puan said Baleg needs to come to campus and invite expert sources to ask for input.

"Yes, that's why we are open to receiving input from campus," said Puan at the Senayan Parliament Complex, Friday, January 24, 2025.

Hanin Marwah and Hammam Izzudin contributed to the writing of this article.

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