Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – Perpetrators of illegal coal mining in the educational forest area of Mulawarman University in Samarinda, East Kalimantan Province, have finally been arrested.
The two suspects are the Director of PT TAA, identified by the initial D (42 years old), and E (28 years old), who was responsible for operating the heavy equipment used to mine coal in the educational forest area, officially designated as a Special Purpose Forest Area (KHDTK) for Forestry Education and Training at Mulawarman University.
Their arrest took place on the night of Saturday, July 19, 2025, by Civil Servant Investigators (PPNS) from the Kalimantan Regional Forestry Law Enforcement Agency.
After being questioned as witnesses and following a case review, the investigators officially named both individuals as suspects.
Suspect D (42) and suspect E (38) are currently being held at the Samarinda City Police Detention Center.
Authorities also confiscated evidence including one black iPhone, one silver iPhone, and one black Samsung mobile phone.
The suspects face multiple charges under Indonesian Law No. 41 of 1999 on Forestry, Law No. 11 of 2020 on Job Creation in conjunction with Article 55 Paragraph (1) Point 1 of the Indonesian Criminal Code, with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to IDR 7.5 billion.
This case originated on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at around 16:12 Central Indonesia Time, when several students from the Faculty of Forestry at Mulawarman University (Fahutan Unmul) were conducting amphibian and reptile (herpetofauna) observation and research activities in the KHDTK training forest.
They heard the sound of heavy machinery operating within the KHDTK area.
Students Muhammad Syafii and Samuel went to investigate the source of the noise and discovered five excavators actively digging the ground in search of coal.
Syafii documented and recorded the scene and managed to question two individuals at the site, who were suspected to be supervisors or foremen.
Based on the students’ findings, the Head of the KHDTK Natural Laboratory at Mulawarman University, Rustam, reported the matter to the Kalimantan Regional Forestry Law Enforcement Agency.
The agency responded by dispatching a team to gather preliminary data and information (Pulbaket) in order to collect as much evidence as possible. The case status was later elevated to full investigation on April 28, 2025.
“The uncovering of this case was the result of collaboration among several parties, including the Ministry of Forestry, the police, and the Faculty of Forestry at Mulawarman University,” said Leonardo Gultom, Head of the Kalimantan Gakkum Agency. (*)
