Criminal charges loom for nickel firm over pollution in Raja Ampat

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Environment Ministry warned PT Anugerah Surya Pratama, a nickel mining company in Raja Ampat, Southwest Papua, of possible criminal penalties after pollution from a collapsed settling pond and activities in a protected nature reserve.

"For indications of pollution and environmental damage caused, criminal law enforcement and civil lawsuits will be carried out," Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq noted here on Sunday.

After identifying these violations, the ministry installed a monitoring board at the company's sites on Manuran Island and Waigeo Island, both part of the Raja Ampat Islands.

Minister Nurofiq also plans to instruct the Raja Ampat district head to review the environmental permit for Manuran Island, as it is classified as a small island, as well as for Waigeo Island, which is designated as a nature reserve.

He explained that PT Anugerah Surya Pratama holds a mining business permit (IUP) covering an area of 1,173 hectares (ha) on Manuran Island and 9,500 ha on Waigeo Island.

The ministry will also prepare the Regional Spatial Plan (RTRW) for West Papua Province, based on the Strategic Environmental Assessment (KLHS), which prioritizes the protection of coastal and small islands, in accordance with Law No. 1 of 2014 on the management of coastal areas and small islands.

“The ministry ensures that all permits and business activities must be in line with ecosystem protection and applicable laws," Nurofiq emphasized.

In addition to PT ASP, the ministry is investigating three other nickel mining companies in Raja Ampat: PT Gag Nikel operating on Gag Island, PT Kawei Sejahtera Mining on Kawei Island, and PT Mulia Raymond Perkasa on Manyaifun Island.

Nurofiq reaffirmed his commitment to law enforcement and ecosystem restoration, considering the significant role of Raja Ampat Islands as home to 75 percent of the world's coral species and thousands of endemic species.

He stressed that this extraordinary natural potential has made Raja Ampat both a world-class tourist destination and a UNESCO Global Geopark.