THE government’s decision to acquire 7 percent of Newmont’s divestment shares is facing a political roadblock. Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo, the official point man, is being bullied left and right, led by the Mining and Finance commissions at the House of Representatives. He tried to get the coalition parties supporting the government on his side but got no response. Even the Palace seems to be sending him mixed signals on the dispute. Meanwhile at the site of the Newmont mine in Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara province, Tempo discovered that the local communities have benefi tted little from all the copper and gold exploited so far. Could this dispute evolve into a tug-of-war between the Finance Minister and the Bakrie family?

Keywords :
Agus Martowardojo ,