Prabowo Summons Ministers, TNI for 4-Hour Meeting on Illegal Mining

3 weeks ago 9

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto summoned ministers of the Red and White Cabinet, along with the national Armed Forces (TNI) Commander, the National Police (Polri) Chief, and the Attorney General, to discuss forest management and illegal mining.

The meeting took place at his residence in Hambalang, Sentul, West Java, on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.

Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said the closed-door meeting was held late Tuesday after the president unexpectedly called in several ministers as well as leaders of the military and law enforcement.

“The meeting lasted for more than four hours, during which the president asked for detailed updates on forest management and the issue of illegal mining,” Teddy explained in an Instagram post on @sekretariat.kabinet, August 20, 2025.

In his post, Teddy shared photos of ministers in attendance, including Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo, Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif, and State Secretary Pratikno.

Prabowo had previously raised the issue of illegal mining in his state address during the Annual Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) on August 15, 2025.

At the time, he cautioned generals accused of supporting mining tycoons operating unlawfully. He stressed that firm action would be taken, regardless of their rank or background.

“I am warning all generals, whether active, retired, or from the police. There are no exceptions. If you are involved, we will take action in the name of the people,” Prabowo said at the Parliament Complex in Jakarta.

He revealed that there are currently 1,063 illegal mines, with estimated losses to the state reaching Rp 300 trillion. Prabowo vowed to clamp down on those responsible.

He went on to caution military and police leaders against backing mining businesses. Should such cases occur, Prabowo said he would instruct TNI Commander Agus Subiyanto and Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo to take decisive measures.

“If I send the commander or police chief to a province, I will order them to deploy units from outside that province, to avoid conflicts of interest in case local personnel are involved,” Prabowo stated.

As a former general, Prabowo said he was already well aware of how illegal mining operations work. He urged young officers not to be complicit. Instead of shielding unlawful businesses, he encouraged them to form cooperatives and legitimize their economic activities.

Prabowo, who also chairs the Gerindra Party, reminded its cadres not to be involved in protecting illegal mining. He urged those who are implicated to become whistleblowers. “Report it openly. Even if you are from Gerindra, you will not be protected,” he said.

He also noted that the government had reclaimed 3.1 million hectares of land following the issuance of Presidential Regulation No. 5 of 2025 on forest management. Out of 5 million hectares in violation, 3.7 million were deemed problematic, with 3.1 million already recovered.

The Mining Advocacy Network (JATAM), however, criticized Prabowo’s stance, describing it as rhetoric without substance. JATAM campaigner Alfarhat Kasman said the president’s words failed to address the root problem.

“Despite the state’s control over natural resources, the reality is that the benefits have never gone back to the people,” Kasman said in a statement on Sunday, August 17, 2025.

He argued that only a small circle of large corporations, many with ties to the palace and parliament, profit from these activities. According to him, Prabowo’s warning about illegal mines costing the state trillions rings hollow given the persistence of the problem.

“If the government truly has no fear, why has this practice been allowed to continue for so many years?” Kasman asked.

He added that the individuals behind illegal mining are an open secret, with media repeatedly exposing links to politicians, law enforcement, former top officials, and even shell companies created to disguise illegal operations.