DPR RI urges Presidential Regulation for PT Timah tin purchases

Indonesia's House of Representatives (DPR RI) Commission XII is urging the government to issue a Presidential Regulation (Perpres) to provide a legal framework for PT Timah to purchase tin from local residents on Belitung Island.

The push for this regulation stems from a production quota issue. PT Timah's Work Plan and Budget (RKAB) for Belitung, set at 3,600 tons, was exhausted in June 2026. However, approximately 3,000 tons of tin produced by the community have already entered PT Timah's warehouses, exceeding the current quota.

Bambang Patijaya, head of the Golkar faction in Commission XII, stated that the Perpres would act as a legal discretion for PT Timah, allowing it to continue purchasing community tin while the company undergoes a process expected to take over six months. This process includes geological reserve data improvements, feasibility study updates, and applying for an amended RKAB. Legislators warn that without this legal intervention, the tin trade in Belitung could reach a standstill, potentially increasing smuggling activities and causing social unrest or economic decline in the region.