Another Illegal mining Licensing Case

The indictment of Southeast Sulawesi Governor Nur Alam as a corruption suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has triggered an old question. Why was this case, previously handled by the Attorney-General's Office (AGO), allowed to go nowhere for two years before the KPK took over?

In September 2014, Nur Alam's name appeared alongside those of nine other regional chief executives because they all had bank accounts containing at least Rp1 trillionan extraordinary amount, given their modest official salaries. The Financial Transaction Reporting and Analysis Center (PPATK) twice sent the results of its investigations and analyses to the AGO. Among those findings were payments into Nur Alam's account totaling US$4.5 million from a mining company in Hong Kong. Some took the form of insurance policies and transfers from other accounts. The sum of almost Rp50 trillionreportedly returned to the state after the PPATK reportis believed to be linked to the business permit granted by the governor to Anugrah Harisma Barakah, a nickel mining company.