Advertorial: The 75th Mining and Energy Day, Unifying Moment during the Pandemic
Ridwan Djamaludin
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic this year, Indonesia celebrates the 75th birthday of Mining and Energy industry. This is just a moment in the long journey of the mining sector and its contributions to the nation and for the welfare of the people.
Though experiencing hardships due to the pandemic, the mining sector has been pushed to keep on making contributions in trying to maintain Indonesia’s economy, recently standing on the brink of recession. As many sectors have already fallen into severe conditions that they have had to sign employment terminations, the mining sector has tried to minimize the impacts of the pandemic, which are expected to affect the entire world in the next several years.
Still, we have to be thankful that after a long process, Law No. 4 of 2009 on MINERBA (Minerals and Coal) is finally passed into Law No. 3 of 2020 by DPR House of Representatives.
Ridwan Djamaludin, the Director General of Minerals and Coal of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), has stated that the new law on MINERBA has the spirit of improvement of the existing regulations.
“We had the excitement of drafting the law as we execute amendments for better existing regulations. First of all, it’s about rearrangement of balanced authority of the central and local governments,” Ridwan said during the recent commemoration of the 75th Mining and Energy Day.
Next step, according to Ridwan, would be providing the same opportunities to all business actors to conduct their activities. Lastly, it would be about providing the long-term protection, also clear division of work areas to avoid any conflict of overlapping land tenures, he added.
The former deputy in charge of Infrastructure and Transportation Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime and Investments said that Indonesian natural and energy resources should be the authorized capital of the country’s development, so the utilization of such resources should be maximized to give value to the society at large.
“Therefore, the spirit that we have transferred into the MINERBA law is no longer about fulfillment of interest of a certain (business) sector, but it concerns the nation’s interests. That’s what we guard, right now,” he said.
Hence, he expects that in the moment of commemorating Mining and Energy Day, all stakeholders would welcome the new regulation with the spirit of unity, because the revised law on MINERBA is established in the interests of all stakeholders.
“I’m sure that as long as we’re solid and trust each other, all of us would get the benefit,” he said.
The graduate of Texas A&M University, USA, majoring in Geology/ Earth Science said that the spirit integrated into the drafting of the new MINERBA law concerns executing the amendments for betterment of all existing regulations. First of all, it is about rearrangement of balanced authority of the central and local governments.
The next step, according to Ridwan, would be providing the same opportunities to all business actors to conduct their activities. Lastly, Ridwan said, it would concern aspects of long-term protection and clear area divisions to avoid overlapping land issues.
Furthermore, the MINERBA law is expected to generate better usage of Indonesia’s mineral and coal resources going forward, to become the capital of development in the interests of the society at large, in line with the mandate of the constitution.
“Natural and energy resources of Indonesia should be the capital of the country’s development so the utilization should be maximized to give value to the society at large,” Ridwan said.
He also confirmed that the spirit of “Progressive Indonesia” integrated into the MINERBA law is no longer about fulfillment of interests of only a certain (business) sector, but it relates to the broader interests of the nation. “That’s what we guard, right now,” Ridwan said.
Marking the diamond moment of the 75th birthday of Mining and Energy Industry, Ridwan expected all stakeholders to be prepared and safeguard the unity, especially, during this globally challenging time of Covid-19 pandemic.
The existence of the new law on MINERBA is expected to contribute, not just problems but also advancement, to the mining sector. A better governance is established now to improve the minerals and coal industry, and eventually, the welfare of the people. (Humas Minerba)