Jakarta. The executive board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU), Indonesia’s largest Islamic organization, has announced the establishment of a limited liability company, Berkah Usaha Muamalah Nusantara (BUMN), to manage between 25,000 and 26,000 hectares of mining concessions previously owned by Bakrie Group's Kaltim Prima Coal in East Kalimantan.

PBNU Chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf confirmed the development in Jakarta on Friday, explaining that the company’s shares will be owned by the NU cooperative, which is managed by the organization’s leadership and members. The project is currently working to meet the requirements needed to begin exploration.

“We are working on fulfilling the necessary requirements to start exploration,” said Yahya, referring to the potential for reclamation. “We are also seeking investors to help fund the project.”

The government has designated six former coal mining areas for management by religious organizations, including sites previously managed by Arutmin Indonesia, Kendilo Coal Indonesia, Kaltim Prima Coal, Adaro Energy, Multi Harapan Utama, and Kideco Jaya Agung.

 "As for the coal potential, we will have to wait for the exploration results. The license for exploration is still in process," Yahya said.

Despite this, Yahya said the mining concession permit had already been issued, enabling them to begin acquiring the necessary business licenses, though he acknowledged there are still many requirements to meet.

Looking ahead, he said the direction of the business would depend on careful calculations of investment potential and profitability. "We haven’t finalized the business design yet; it will depend on the investment opportunities we can pursue," said Gus Yahya.

This move follows a recent regulation issued by former President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, which allows the redistribution of mining business licenses (IUP) previously revoked from other companies. The new policy permits the allocation of IUPs to community-based organizations, including religious social organizations, regional government-owned enterprises, village-owned enterprises, and cooperatives.

The regulation, outlined in Presidential Regulation No. 76/2024 on the Allocation of Land for Investment Management, was signed by President Jokowi on July 22. According to Article 5A of the regulation, former coal mining concession areas may now be prioritized for community-based organizations, provided they meet specific criteria related to economic activities and community welfare.

The regulation also stipulates that the offer of mining concessions is valid for five years after Government Regulations No. 96/2021 came into effect. The Investment Ministry is authorized to determine, offer, and issue mining licenses to these organizations.

Once a mining concession is granted, these organizations must apply for a mining business license (IUPK) through the One Single Submission (OSS) system.

Separately, the Islamic organization Muhammadiyah is expected to receive management rights over former coal mining concessions previously held by Adaro Energy or Arutmin Indonesia.

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