The Indonesian government has reclaimed more than 321 hectares of mining land following enforcement actions against companies operating without proper forest area permits, in a move to strengthen responsible and lawful use of natural resources.
According to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), the seized land includes 148.25 hectares belonging to PT Weda Bay Nickel in North Maluku and 172.82 hectares controlled by PT Tonia Mitra Sejahtera in Southeast Sulawesi.
“Although they had mining permits, they did not hold forest area utilization permits,” said Rilke Jeffri Huwae, Director General of Law Enforcement at the ESDM Ministry, in Jakarta on Monday, as quoted from the official website of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources on September 15.
He added that the ministry continues to intensify oversight and enforcement against illegal mining, following instructions from Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia to uphold good mining practices across the sector.
“In line with the Minister’s direction, we are committed to strengthening supervision and enforcement against illegal mining practices,” Jeffri stated.
The ministry emphasizes the importance of Good Mining Practices (GMP), which prioritize environmental responsibility, sustainability, and legal compliance. Jeffri also confirmed that the ESDM Ministry will maintain active coordination and participation in enforcement planning with the Halilintar Forest Area Enforcement Task Force (Satgas PKH Halilintar).
The ESDM Ministry is a core member of the task force, with Minister Bahlil Lahadalia sitting on the steering committee alongside other cabinet ministers, the TNI Commander, Attorney General, National Police Chief, and Head of the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP).
On the operational level, both the Director General of Law Enforcement and the Director General of Mineral and Coal at the ESDM Ministry play active roles in implementing technical measures.
The government’s actions reflect its ongoing commitment to improving governance in the energy and mineral resources sector and reinforcing the legal framework around forest and mining land use.