The government pledged firm action following an explosion at PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel (ITSS) smelter furnace in Central Sulawesi Province that killed 19 workers.
This was said by Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut B. Panjaitan in a statement issued following a coordination meeting on Friday with other related ministers, senior military and police officers, amid growing public concerns over the government’s seemingly lax oversight of the domestic smelter industry, mostly owned by Chinese investors, following a series of deadly incidents in the past couple of years.
“I want to remind you that our country has clear and strict regulations. Anyone who violates it will be faced with applicable law. This is not only the responsibility of the National Police, but all related ministries/institutions must work together in this enforcement effort," Luhut said.
An explosion occurred at the ITSS smelter furnace, located at the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) in Central Sulawesi early on Sunday which also left 29 severely and 11 minorly injured. ITSS is a local unit of China’s stainless steel giant Tsingshan Group.
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The statement said that the victims' families received Rp 600 million in compensation from ITSS, alongside benefits from the Social Security Administering Body (BPJS). Treatment and evacuation efforts for injured workers are underway.
Preliminary findings suggest a violation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) by ITSS. Minister Luhut ordered the Central Sulawesi Police to complete their investigation within two weeks, urging decisive action against legal breaches.
This incident follows a similar tragedy last year at PT Gunbuster Nickel Industry (GNI), which operates a ferronickel smelter in Central Sulawesi, highlighting ongoing concerns over industrial safety in Indonesia.
Luhut emphasized the government's commitment to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and environmental standards, instructing the Ministry of Manpower and Industry to ensure stringent implementation of OHS SOPs across all nickel smelters in the country.
"The safety of workers is our priority. We will not tolerate any failure in safety standards," Luhut stated, promising justice for the victims and their families.
He announced further meetings in the next two weeks to review investigation results and ensure effective implementation of industrial safety measures.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak
