IMA demands amendment of Mining Law

By Hiski Darmayana

Indonesia Mining Association (IMA) asked for the amendment of the 2009 Mining Law to give more power for governors or heads of provincial administration to issue mining permits as requested by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

"President Yudhoyono has provided correct guidelines (to give power for governor in the issuance of mining permit. We should appreciate it as it is crucial to avert so many officials involved in the issuance of mining permit," IMA Executive Director Syahrir Abubakar said.

The rights in awarding mining permits are now held by regents or heads of regency administration.

Yudhoyono earlier promised to give a broader power to governors in the issuance of mining permits in the provinces to eliminate potential conflicts stemming from the issuance of overlapping mining permits.

The change in the procedure of the issuance of mining permits would be needed to curb the growing number of mining permit problems, the President said. " I will give a broader power to governor in line with the existing government regulation to put mining permit issuance in order," he said.

Editing by Adianto P. Simamora