Jakarta, President Prabowo Subianto’s government has shown a firm stance in preserving Raja Ampat by revoking the Mining Business Permits (IUP) of four nickel companies. This policy was conveyed directly by the Minister of State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi on June 10, 2025.
“On the direction of the President, the government has decided to revoke the mining business permits of four companies operating in Raja Ampat Regency,” said Prasetyo Hadi.
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia said that this decision was taken after a limited meeting led by President Prabowo with the cabinet the day before. This decision was born from comprehensive considerations.
“Regarding these aspirations, the President has decided by considering all aspects to revoke the business permits of four companies outside the Gag Island area,” said Bahlil.
Bahlil emphasized that the revocation of these permits was carried out due to environmental violations committed by these companies.
“A number of environmental violations were found, after considering findings in the field as well as input from the governor and regent. They want their area to develop,” explained Bahlil.
The companies whose permits were revoked include PT Anugerah Surya Pratama, PT Nurham, PT Mulia Raymond Perkasa, and PT Kawei Sejahtera Mining. Meanwhile, PT Gag Nikel, which is a state-owned company, is still allowed to operate with stricter supervision.
The violations committed include deforestation of more than 500 hectares, environmental pollution, coral reef damage, and operations within the geopark area. This condition has sparked widespread protests, including the ‘Save Raja Ampat’ movement in Jakarta and environmental activist campaigns such as Greenpeace, which documented the damage through investigations and analysis of satellite imagery.
Member of Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives Samuel Wattimena appreciated the government’s move and called the decision a real effort to save nature.
“I strongly support the revocation of mining permits in Raja Ampat. This concerns the natural beauty of God’s creation that cannot be replaced by man-made things,” said Samuel.
Samuel added that this action must be followed by an investigation into the party that issued the permit.
“We can’t just say, ‘Okay, dismissed, thank you, goodbye’. We must investigate who issued the permit. The company cannot operate without a valid legal basis. This touches on the legal realm,” he said.
The government is also evaluating PT Gag Nikel’s environmental permit and requiring ecological restoration. This step was taken to maintain the sustainability of Raja Ampat as a tourism and environmental asset for future generations. ****
