Religious Organizations And Universities Are Proposed To Manage Mining Operations

Religious organizations and universities are being proposed to manage mining operations. This suggestion was made during a plenary meeting to draft a bill on the third amendment to Law No. 4 of 2009 concerning Minerals and Coal, held in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday (January 20, 2025). Bob Hasan, the Chairman of the Legislative Body, stated that the draft revision includes four main points, one of which is granting permits to universities.

Bob Hasan emphasized the need to prioritize religious organizations and universities in managing mining activities during the online meeting. He also mentioned that the leadership of the Legislative Body has assigned a team of experts to develop regulations for mineral and coal management.

In the draft bill presented by the expert team, the proposal to grant mining business permits to universities is included in Article 51A. Article 51A, Section (1), states that mining business permits can be prioritized for universities. To qualify for a mining business permit, universities must have at least a B accreditation. In addition to religious organizations and universities, Bob Hasan noted that local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are also proposed to receive mining management permits.

After the presentation of the bill, several members of the Legislative Body expressed their concerns. Putra Nababan, a member from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), questioned the academic manuscript of the bill, stating he received the 78-page document only 30 minutes before the meeting. He also raised concerns about the lack of public and stakeholder participation in the mining sector. "How can we justify the many stakeholders in the mining sector while bypassing meaningful participation?" Putra questioned.

Researcher in Law at the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios), Muhammad Saleh, stated that public participation in drafting the bill is very low. From the beginning, there has been no discussion about developing entities for mining recipients. "This is similar to when organizations were appointed as concession license recipients," Saleh told Kompas.com. Additionally, the proposal to grant mining business licenses to universities is misguided and strays far from their core business. Saleh explained that the main business of universities consists of three areas: education, research, and community service. "Therefore, if universities are to develop business units, they must align with their main programs," Saleh added.

Tag: Bob Hasan Religious Organizations Universities