Jakarta. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has called on law enforcement authorities, including the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), to take firm legal action against a large-scale illegal gold mining operation recently uncovered in West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara.

The site, located roughly an hour’s drive from the Mandalika Special Economic Zone, was found to be operating without a mining permit, according to the KPK.

“The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry only oversees mines with legal permits. If there’s no permit, then it’s a legal matter,” Bahlil said on Friday after attending the National Mining and Energy Day ceremony at Jakarta’s National Monument complex.

He clarified that his ministry’s authority is limited to supervising licensed mining activities under existing mining business permits (IUPs). Unlicensed operations, he said, fall entirely under the jurisdiction of law enforcement agencies.

“If a mine doesn’t have a permit, let the law take its course. We’ll only oversee those that operate legally,” Bahlil said.

Bahlil said the government would not tolerate illegal mining, citing environmental damage and state losses from unpaid taxes and royalties. “Illegal mining not only harms nature but also deprives the state of legitimate revenue,” he said.

The KPK previously announced the discovery of extensive illegal gold mining activity in the Sekotong area of West Lombok, describing it as “massive and organized.” The anti-graft body said the operations appeared to involve multiple actors and sophisticated machinery, far beyond the scale of small-scale community mining.

According to the KPK, there have been attempts to shape public perception by portraying the activities as local “people’s mining,” even though the methods and output clearly indicate commercial intent.

In response, Bahlil welcomed the KPK’s proactive role in addressing the issue and urged consistent law enforcement to strengthen governance in Indonesia’s mineral resource sector.

“We fully support the KPK and law enforcement in cracking down on illegal mining,” Bahlil concluded.

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