The East Kalimantan Provincial Government has taken decisive action to halt the use of national roads by coal transport vehicles operated by PT Mantimin Coal Mining (MCM) in Muara Kate, Paser Regency, following escalating social tensions and safety concerns.
Head of the East Kalimantan Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Office, Bambang Arwanto, announced in Samarinda on Wednesday (June 18) that MCM has been instructed to reroute its operations via the dedicated hauling road owned by PT Prima in Tabalong, South Kalimantan.
"The solution is that PT Mantimin will now use PT Prima’s hauling road and will no longer operate on the national road," Bambang said, citing local news outlet Kaltimkita.com.
The designated hauling route stretches 143 kilometers, connecting Tabalong to Kerang Dayo in Batu Engau District, Paser Regency. However, the transition is pending completion of road and bridge repairs by the company. During this interim period, MCM is permitted to operate only in southern Kalimantan and is strictly prohibited from entering East Kalimantan.
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"To be clear, coal transportation on the national road is not allowed," Bambang emphasized.
The decision follows a high-level coordination meeting chaired by East Kalimantan Governor Rudy Mas’ud at the Vice President’s Secretariat in Jakarta on Monday (June 16). The meeting came in response to public unrest and recent fatal incidents in Muara Kate, prompting a visit by Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka on Sunday (June 15).
The coordination meeting brought together senior officials, including Bambang Arwanto; Acting Head of the Vice President’s Secretariat Al-Muhktabar; representatives from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (PUPR); the East Kalimantan Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda, via online); and the Regent of Tabalong.
Governor Rudy Mas’ud reiterated the province’s firm stance, stating: "In line with statutory regulations—specifically Article 91 of Law No. 3 of 2020—mining companies are required to use dedicated hauling roads. Any violation of this requirement will result in administrative sanctions."
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak
