TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Nickel smelter Furnace Number 41 at Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel (ITSS) exploded and caught fire on December 24, 2023. A total of 59 workers became victims, with 21 of them losing their lives. The police have elevated the investigation status to a criminal investigation, but no suspects have been identified yet.

Meanwhile, the Manpower Ministry has also launched an investigation, and the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment oversees the nickel smelter’s operations. These two government agencies have different perspectives on the industrial accident at ITSS nickel smelter located in the Morowali Industrial Park, Central Sulawesi.

The Investment Ministry has not reached a conclusion, while the Manpower Ministry found evidence of safety procedure violations in operating the nickel smelter by the company. However, both have not announced their final conclusions despite completing their respective investigations.

The accident at the ITSS nickel smelter is not the first of its kind. The number of workers who lost their lives while operating the ore refining machine has occurred several times. However, government audits do not declare the level of danger posed by this nickel smelter. Understandably, nickel processing has become a government favorite in the economy.

The nickel project is part of the national strategic project. Smelter construction is mandatory because the Indonesian government believes nickel processing can add value. However, our reporting in Morowali found that the nickel project falls into capital-intensive projects, not labor-intensive. In other words, this giant project provides minimal job opportunities compared to its significant investment.

Even with the limited opportunities, local communities involved are very few. The local community here refers to both the Indonesian community and those living around the industry. China has ore mineral refining technology used in almost all nickel smelters. Therefore, they bring in engineers from China to oversee the smelter’s operations.

Language is a barrier between Indonesian and Chinese workers. However, language could play a role as a means of transferring knowledge in operating nickel smelters. The obligation for foreign workers to speak Indonesian is currently not enforced as it is considered less investment-friendly. As a result, workers there often resort to sign language when communicating.

Is the nickel investment worth risking the lives of workers in the industry? We report it for you. In this edition, we also present various reports from the fields of politics, law and economy. Our politics desk examines the strategies of the presidential candidates in attracting young voters, while the law desk writes about the kratom leaf, which will be classified as a new type of narcotics. What are the implications?

Enjoy the magazine,

Bagja Hidayat

Executive Editor

Nickel Smelter Explosion

The case of a fire breaking out at an ITSS nickel smelter is pointing towards procedural violations. The Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs is using a criminal approach that targets workers, while the Ministry of Manpower is targeting corporate suspects.

Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel

Subsidiaries of the Tsingshan Group are located within IMIP. It is a joint venture of foreign bosses, local business owners, and a former general in a mineral smelter.

The Ease for Nickle Projects

The government makes things easier for the smelter industry by eliminating many regulations that are not investment-friendly.

The Demagogic Campaigns

The presidential and vice-presidential candidates are relying entirely on gimmicks to exploit the emotions of the people. This moves the campaign away from substantive discussions.

Constitutional Court Chief Justice Suhartoyo

New Constitutional Court Chief Justice explains the efforts he is making to regain public trust of the Court following the Anwar Usman fiasco.