The management of the Gunung Botak gold mining area in Buru Regency, Maluku, has once again drawn public attention. This time, focus is directed at efforts to obtain a People's Mining Permit (IPR), which is suspected to involve a former illegal miner attempting to exploit high-level political influence.
The name Mansur Lataka, operating under the banner of PT Global Emas Bupolo, has emerged. The former convict in an unlicensed mining (PETI) case is reportedly attempting to approach networks within the Presidential Palace circle to pressure the Governor of Maluku, Hendrik Lewerissa, into approving the IPR documents. Nonetheless, these lobbying efforts have reportedly not yielded results due to the absence of additional quotas for issuing new permits.
Responding to this dynamic, the Executive Board of the Islamic Students Association (PB HMI) has spoken out. The Chairman of the Labor Division of PB HMI, M Nur Latuconsina, emphasized that the governance of mining areas must rely fully on the principles of law and clean governance. He warned that environmental sustainability aspects, as regulated in the constitution, must not be ignored for the interests of a select few elites.
Latuconsina stressed the importance of track record and moral integrity for any party wishing to manage natural resources in Maluku. According to him, the government has a moral and legal responsibility to conduct strict due diligence on every business entity before granting mining management rights.
Furthermore, referring to the latest mineral and coal mining regulations, the authority to grant permits lies entirely with the state, prioritizing legal certainty and the welfare of local indigenous communities. PB HMI requests that Gunung Botak not be turned into a political transaction commodity that sacrifices environmental sustainability and the rights of local communities.
