Indonesia group seeks judicial review over new mining law

A group made up of activists and regional officials submitted on Friday a request for a judicial review of Indonesia’s mining law at the Constitutional Court, arguing there had been a failure of procedures before the law was approved by parliament in May.

The group, which includes the governor of Indonesia’s main tin mining region Bangka Belitung province, believe the bill failed to comply with a number of law-making rules, their representatives said.

Indonesia, a top global exporter of thermal coal, tin, nickel and copper, is seeking to boost investment in the country’s mining sector by removing red tape and streamlining regulations through the new mining law.

A judicial review was being requested because the public, regional governments and state-controlled companies had not been involved in deliberation of the bill, said Ahmad Redi, a lawyer representing the group.