Task force to focus on nine `big fish`

Antara News, Sunday, April 18, 2010 04:17 WIB

Banjarmasin (ANTARA News) - The government`s task force charged with eradicating law mafia is focussing its efforts on "big fish," its secretary, Denny Indrayana, said.

"We are focussing on nine big fish," he said here on Saturday.

Denny said the nine big fish includes corruption, tax and excise mafias, mafias in mining and energy fields, forestry, banking and financial sector and land and fishery mafias.

"So long as these mafias remain it will be difficult to develop the country. So long as they are not cleaned it will be difficult (to develop the country). So the formula is like what President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said `cleanse them`," he said.

Denny said the eradication of law mafia is the main program of the President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Vice President Boediono government and therefore now was the best momentum for it.

"President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered `cleanse them`, he said.

In view of that Denny called on the people in the region to be careful in selecting their leaders in the elections later in June.

He said people in the regional elections later must scrutinize the candidates` track record well. "Choose a leader that has no connection with coal mafia. Select the one that does not issue a mining license," he said.

Denny said that in the near future the task force also planned to uncover the conspiracy in mining and energy fields.

"So for those asking `what about the mining mafia` just now the answer is `just wait and see`," he said.

Denny was here to speak at a national seminar on "Investment Law Protection."

He said the task force had already collected reports about alleged mafia operations in the coal mining in South Kalimantan.

He said the province is a coal producer but ironically it is still facing electricity supply problems.