Illegal Tin Mining

THE efforts by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to investigate the corruption scandal related to the tin trade governance in Bangka Belitung must not stop at the involvement of former directors of Timah and businesspeople such as Tamron Tamsil. The investigation must also reveal the names of the people backing the illegal mining that led to environmental losses totaling Rp271 trillion.

Allegations of the involvement of influential people in the case arose after the AGO arrested Suparta and Reza Andriansyah, both directors of Refined Bangka Tin (RBT). Based on evidence they obtained, investigators are convinced that Suparta and Reza initiated a meeting with Timah to ask that company to handle tin ore from a number of companies mining illegally in the Timah area. RBT is reported to have links with Robert Priantono Bonosusatya, a tin tycoon who is close to many police officers.

The suspicion that this businessperson was backing illegal mining emerged in information from Regional Representatives Council (DPD) member AA La Nyalla Mahmud Mattalitti. While he was looking into the chaotic trading of tin in Bangka Belitung in 2019, he received a report from 27 owners of smelters that were closed down by the police because their activities were deemed as illegal. These smelter owners had previously been reported to the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department. They were then asked to sell unrefined tin to Timah. Strangely, Timah then appointed five smelters as partners, including RBT.

The ties that businesspeople backing illegal mining have with police officers do not only benefit them financially. Law enforcers even give ‘protection’ to those who they should be pursuing for wrongdoing. In the case of the illegal tin mining in Bangka Belitung, the major tycoons believed to be involved have remained untouched by the law.

The AGO has named 14 suspects in relation to the alleged corruption in tin trading in Bangka Belitung. Despite this, the AGO must have the courage to also go after the influential mining businesspeople who have been backing and making profits from illegal mining, rather than simply naming as suspects people at the management level or businesspeople owning bogus companies.

The arrests of Suparta and Reza, as well as dozens of others, should be a foot in the door to uncover the role and involvement of the backers. The alleged collusion between businesspeople and others protecting illegal mining should be thoroughly investigated, including looking into the possibility of corrupt deals between tycoons and law enforcement officers. If convincing evidence is found, the AGO must not hesitate to investigate and charge anybody who is involved in the tin mining case.

This backing by influential businesspeople working with state officials and law enforcement officers has long held back the implementation of clean governance. Allowing backers to escape legal consequences is only the beginning of major environmental damage. It is time to stop greedy tycoons, working with officials and corrupt officers, who have recklessly exploit our natural resources.