REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) to immediately issue a letter of warning against PT Freeport. The warning was related to the pollution caused by waste of the gold mining company.
According to Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya, the ministry has coordinated with others ministry to issue the warning letter. She said the letter was also related with Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) finding on PT Freeport for causing significant state losses for Indonesia.
"We have prepared the warning letter and it might be issued this week," said Siti on Thursday (April 5).
Ministry of Environment and Forestry has given administrative sanction to PT Freeport. However, Freeport might get criminal sanction if the warning was neglected.
In accordance with Law No. 32/2009 on Environmental Protection and Management, Article 1 Paragraph (2) contains a systematic and integrated effort undertaken to preserve environmental functions and prevent the occurrence of pollution and or damage environment that includes planning, utilization, controlling, maintenance, supervision, and law enforcement. If there is any behaviour is inconsistent with the law, Ministry of Environment and Forestry may issue another decision.
Siti said the most important thing that must be conducted by PT Freeport was to improve waste management to prevent tailing from contaminating the river. The technology used must be sophisticated, so that waste did not contamined the river.
"Well, we must force PT Freeport to repair its technology related to waste management," Siti added.
Siti revealed that in addition to the findings from BPK, Ministry of Environment and Forestry also conducted research on PT Freeport's actions that are considered to be detrimental to the state. From these findings, there are at least 21 points to be reprimanded materials.