Secretary general of Hipmi’s central board, Anggawira, noted that foreign powers tend to leverage environmental narratives to pressure the Indonesian government.
“Negative framing of our national mining industry could reduce our investment appeal, harm competitiveness, and disrupt downstreaming efforts,” he expounded in a statement received here on Monday.
“We cannot afford to allow external narratives to shape public opinion in an unbalanced way,” Anggawira added.
His remarks came amid growing public concern over alleged environmental degradation caused by mining in Raja Ampat, Southwest Papua, particularly on Gag Island, which has recently come under scrutiny.
Anggawira, who also chairs the Indonesian Energy, Mineral, and Coal Suppliers Association (Aspebindo), said that the government has taken steps to balance mining and environmental sustainability, particularly after the enactment of Law No. 3 of 2020 on Minerals and Coal.
In 2023, he added, the government recognized over 30 mining companies for their environmental management and social responsibility achievements.
He stressed that it is critical for Indonesia to maintain sovereignty over its natural resource management narratives.
“We should not submit to external opinions, especially from parties that practice unsustainable mining in their own countries,” he said.
Anggawira called for adopting a broader perspective on mining issues, pointing out that without Indonesia’s minerals, such as nickel and copper, the world would struggle to sustain clean energy development, electric vehicle production, and digitization.
“This is not about mining in the old sense," he affirmed.
He added that the mining sector currently contributes 6–7 percent to Indonesia’s gross domestic product (GDP), accounts for thousands of jobs, and significantly boosts non-tax state revenue.
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Translator: Muhammad H, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Arie Novarina
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