Two More Months for Freeport Smelter Deadline: Energy Ministry
1 June 2015 12:30 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources said there has not been any progress from the smelter development by PT Freeport in Java, whereas it only has two more months for deadline.
“No contract signing yet, but we still have two more months,” Director General of Mineral and Coal Energy and Mineral Resource Gatot Bambang said in Jakarta on Sunday, May 31. Bambang said the Ambang Sam mining gives a routine weekly progress report.
Freeport have reached the milestone stage for the smelter development, according to Bambang. The goverment continue to oversee the continuation agreement with Petrokimia Gresik and local government of East Java.
Disan Budi Santoso from the Indonesian Mining Expert Association (Perhapi) said the government should seriously supervise Freeport obligations and must have the audacity to act decisively. So far, the government seemed to be spoiling giant foreign mining companies, PT Freeport in particular.
“Just end the contract if they are stil stubborn,” said Disan. The government should be able to secure profit distribution.
The human resource and technology owned by Indonesia is not far behind from foreign technologies. Disan said: “That is our land and our goods. We also have plenty of money."
ANDI RUSLI