The protest against the PT Trio Kencana gold mine, which was carried out by residents in Toribulu, Kasimbar, and South Tinombo sub-districts, Parigi Moutong district, Central Sulawesi province on Saturday (12/02/2020), was repressed by the police. The follow-up action by the residents resulted in one protester, Aldi (21), being shot to dead, 59 other protesters were arbitrarily arrested and briefly detained at the Parigi Moutong Police Station.

So, who are the owners and shareholders of PT Trio Kencana that was rejected by thousands of residents from three sub-districts in Parigi Moutong Regency?

PT Trio Kencana is a gold mining company operating in Kasimbar, Parigi Moutong Regency, Central Sulawesi Province. The first exploration activity was started in 2017 and continued in 2018 until the production operation license was given in 2020 by the previous governor of Central Sulawesi, Longki Djanggola.

In the decision letter of production operation number 540/426/IUP-OP/DPMPTSP/2020, PT Trio Kencana has a concession area of ​​15,725 hectares, valid from August 28, 2020, to August 27, 2040. The mining concessions of the company are located in two sub-districts, namely South Kasimbar Sub-district and Tinombo.

In the document of the Directorate General of AHU of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, the management and shareholders of PT Trio Kencana include Goan Umbas as Commissioner with a total shareholding of 1,205 shares. Next, there is H. Surianto as the founder who holds the position of President Commissioner and the majority shareholder, with 2,810 shares. In addition to the two names, there is the name Hi. Syahrussiam Abdul Mujib as President Director and Rendy Umbas as Director.

Surianto as the majority shareholder of PT Trio Kencana was recorded as a member of the Tanah Bumbu DPRD from the PAN party in the 2009-2014 period. On October 29, 2018, H. Surianto was inaugurated as Deputy Chairman of the Regional Leadership Council of Partai Amanat Nasional (PAN) of South Kalimantan for the 2015-2020 period. In addition, H. Surianto is also known to serve as the Chairman of the Indonesian Sepak Takraw Association (PSTI) for Parepare city for the 2021-2025 period and was sworn in on Saturday, December 18, 2021.

Meanwhile, Goan Umbas as a commissioner and shareholder in PT Trio Kencana was recorded as having served as a Member of the Regional Advisory Board for the Gerindra Party in Central Sulawesi Province through SK 05-0450/Kpts/DPP-GERINDRA/2011 which was signed on May 10, 2011. In the same decree, H. Longki Djanggola — the governor of Central Sulawesi Province at that time — was appointed as the Chairman of the Regional Leadership Council of Gerindra Party, Central Sulawesi Province.

Thus, the issuance of PT Trio Kencana’s production operating mining license in 2020 was allegedly full of transactions between the governor as the permit giver and chairman of a political party and mining entrepreneurs who are in the same political party.

As for the governor of Central Sulawesi, Rusdy Mastura, who is currently in power, in his political journey, he has never taken sides with the people’s struggle to resist the expansion of the mining industry in Central Sulawesi. In the 2020 Central Sulawesi gubernatorial election, for instance, Rusdy openly encouraged the mining sector as a strategy to improve local economy.

“Management of gold mines is one of the fastest strategies to increase revenue. If all of this is well managed, profit sharing with investors, a budget of 100 billion is a piece of cake (easy). But it is gradually, which to be prioritised,“Rusdy explained.

So it is not surprising that in the mining polemic in Parigi Moutong, Rusdi issued controversial statements, ranging from encouraging that the field coordinators of the mine rejection action be arrested, to the latest, through the Expert Staff of the Governor of Central Sulawesi M Ridha Saleh alias Edang, proposing to reduce the concession area of PT Trio Kencana mine.

On the other hand, the refusal to the mine that claimed the death toll emerged from an inconsequential government policy that was not involve the people, also the broken promise of the governor to meet the masses.

The proposal to shrink the mining area is also not in line with the aspirations and demands of the residents, which is revoking the mining operation license for PT Trio Kencana’s production. Even if the reduction is done, it is clear that there will be no significant effect on the destructive power that will occur, especially what to operate is gold mining that requires large-scale land and water, also the toxic chemicals used have the potential to create a major impact on people’s health and agricultural productivity as well as fishery.

Based on these points, JATAM urges:

  1. Urge the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources to revoke PT Trio Kencana’s mining license immediately
  2. Urge the KPK to investigate allegations of corruption in the process of issuing PT Trio Kencana’s production operating license in 2020, along with allegations of corruption involving governor Rusdy Mastura and PT Trio Kencana.

 

Contact Person: 

Muh Jamil – JATAM – 082156470477

Melky Nahar – JATAM – 081319789181