Arif Ferdianto, Jakarta – The government has officially reopened the sea sand export tap after a 20-year moratorium. The restoration of sand sea export shows the government's panic in trying to increase non-tax state revenue (PNBP).
Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) member I Wayan Gendo Suardana said that sea sand exports emphasise economic interests while abandoning the interests of the environment, the interests of people who live off the sea and the interests of national sovereignty.
"The losses incurred by sea sand export activities can be seen reflectively in the policy prohibiting this activity 20 years ago", he told Kontan.co.id on Tuesday September 17.
Suardana warned that the damage arising from sea sand export activities at that time included ecological damage, particularly marine ecosystems, natural disasters and impacting on the country's sovereignty because the reduction in land area and coastline.
According to Suardana, from this aspect it is also illogical because even if the income coming into the county is large the ones that benefit most are businesspeople, while the benefits for the state are not significant because it is not comparable to the losses caused.
"Based on these two things, the sea sand export policy shows the government's panic in trying to increase PNBP, dredging until its gone, selling cheap and selling [the country's] sovereignty", he said.
Furthermore, Suardana added that aside from being contrary to the marine law, the policy will also violates human rights, especially the right to a good and healthy environment.
"In my opinion this policy must be stopped and therefore there is nothing else to consider other than the policy being stopped", he concluded.
The decision on sea sand exports resurfaced after the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) issued Minister of Trade Regulation (Permendag) Number 20/2024 on the Second Amendment to Permendag Number 22/2023 on Goods Prohibited from Export, as well as Permendag Number 21/2024 on the Second Amendment to Permendag Number 23/2023 on Strengthening Export Policies.
In Government Regulation (PP) Number 26/2023 on the Results of Sea Sedimentation Management, it states that there are seven locations that can be utilised for sea sand mining activities.
This includes the Java Sea off Demak in Central Java, Surabaya in East Java, Cirebon, Indramayu and Karawang in West Java, the Makassar Strait and the waters off Kutai Kartanegara and Balikpapan city in East Kalimantan.
Then in the North Natuna sea in the waters around Karmun Island, Lingga Island and Bintan Island in the Riau Islands.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was " Keran Ekspor Pasir Laut, Walhi: Tunjukkan Kepanikan Pemerintah Tingkatkan PNBP".]
