Jakarta. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has detained coal mining tycoon Rudy Ong Chandra on corruption charges linked to mining permits in East Kalimantan, deepening Indonesia’s crackdown on graft in the extractive sector.

Rudy was named a suspect alongside two others in September last year, including former East Kalimantan governor Awang Faroek Ishak. Awang, who served from 2008 to 2018, passed away on December 22, 2024, halting proceedings against him. The third suspect has only been identified by the initials DDWT.

The mining executive arrived at KPK headquarters in Jakarta around 9:30 p.m. Thursday under heavy guard. He refused to answer questions, shielded his face from cameras, and even crouched to avoid journalists’ lenses before being taken into custody.

“He will be held at the KPK detention facility for the next 20 days,” KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo confirmed.

Rudy has long been a prominent figure in East Kalimantan’s coal industry, serving as commissioner at several companies, including Sepiak Jaya Kaltim, Cahaya Bara Kaltim, Bunga Jadi Lestari, and Anugerah Pancaran Bulan. He also holds a 5 percent stake in Tara Indonusa Coal.

Investigators believe Rudy bribed government officials to secure mining concessions in protected forest areas. While the KPK has not disclosed the estimated financial losses, corruption in mining permits has been described as systemic, with environmental destruction costing the state hundreds of trillions of rupiah.

Mining license corruption has long plagued Indonesia’s resource-rich provinces, where business interests often collude with local and national officials. The extractive sector’s graft scandals have caused widespread deforestation, environmental damage, and vast state losses, fueling public pressure for tougher enforcement.

Alongside the KPK, the Attorney General’s Office is actively investigating corruption cases involving mining licenses across the country.