PANGKALPINANG -- The Provincial Government of the Bangka Belitung Islands, together with PT TIMAH Tbk, held a coordination meeting to accelerate the operationalization of the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives (Kopdes) in the tin mining sector. The meeting took place at the Governor’s Office of Bangka Belitung on Monday, October 27, 2025.
The meeting was attended by the Special Staff of the Indonesian Minister of Cooperatives, Prof. Ambar Pertiwiningrum; Governor of Bangka Belitung, Hidayat Arsani; President Director of PT TIMAH Tbk, Restu Widiyantoro; PT TIMAH Tbk’s Director of Business Development, Suhendra Yusuf Ratuprawiranegara; and representatives of the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives (KDKMP) from across the Bangka Belitung Islands Province.
This initiative serves as a strategic step in efforts to improve community welfare through sustainable mining governance, where local residents can participate in legal mining activities through cooperatives operating within PT TIMAH Tbk’s mining permit areas (IUP).
According to the Special Staff of the Minister of Cooperatives, Prof. Ambar Pertiwiningrum, the issuance of Government Regulation No. 39 of 2025 grants cooperatives greater flexibility to manage mining and mineral resources.
She expressed her appreciation to the Provincial Government of the Bangka Belitung Islands and PT TIMAH Tbk for giving cooperatives the opportunity to participate in mining operations, thereby improving the welfare of local communities.
“This is truly extraordinary. With PT TIMAH’s presence for the people, I am proud and grateful that PT TIMAH, together with the regional government, is genuinely committed to improving public welfare through the Merah Putih Cooperatives,” she said.
She also expressed hope that the KDKMP would make the most of this opportunity to bring tangible benefits to the community.
“I urge cooperatives to strengthen their membership and expand participation so that more people can truly benefit. This way, the value of tin mining can be felt directly for community welfare,” she added.
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The Governor of the Bangka Belitung Islands, Hidayat Arsani, stated that involving the Merah Putih Cooperatives in mining operations within PT TIMAH Tbk’s IUP areas aligns with the President’s directive to empower cooperatives for community prosperity.
“Today, there are 123 cooperatives representing Bangka Belitung that are ready to collaborate. We just need to formalize mutually beneficial agreements—where PT TIMAH benefits, the government benefits, the community benefits, and the cooperatives benefit,” he said.
He explained that the cooperatives will serve as a platform for local miners to engage in legal mining activities within PT TIMAH Tbk’s permit areas. The Provincial Government will support and expedite the process so that cooperatives can soon become PT TIMAH Tbk’s official partners.
“Cooperatives will not just receive payments—they will work. The funding will follow a mentorship scheme that provides the necessary equipment and capital support. However, the output must not be sold elsewhere. The system will be ‘mine in the morning, cash in the evening,’ with prices agreed upon in advance,” he explained.
According to Hidayat, the provincial government will fully support the cooperatives in obtaining legal permits to collaborate on mining activities within PT TIMAH Tbk’s IUP areas.
“We are ready. The funds are ready, and starting tomorrow, we will fix the remaining permit issues. For permits under PT TIMAH’s authority, we will issue supporting business licenses from the provincial side free of charge. This is part of improving governance. The enforcement phase is over—now we are in the recovery stage,” he said.
Meanwhile, PT TIMAH Tbk President Director, Restu Widiyantoro, stated that the company remains committed to improving community welfare under its principle of ‘Tin for the People,’ one of which is through community involvement via cooperatives.
“From the beginning, we agreed that cooperatives are the best solution. There are several aspects that we need to align so that cooperatives can meet legal requirements, allowing communities to truly benefit from tin mining,” he said.
He added that going forward, PT TIMAH Tbk will focus on mining partnerships through the Merah Putih Cooperatives, which are expected to further enhance community welfare.
“We have already conducted outreach, but it needs to be intensified. Prices will follow the agreed standards. This is a form of synergy and collaboration aimed at improving the welfare of the community,” he concluded.
