Policy maker behind Indonesia’s 25-percent mining tax dies while mountain climbing

Widjajono Partowidagdo, the key policy maker behind a drive to impose a 25% tax on Indonesia’s mining exports, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday.

Deputy Energy and Minerals Minister Widjajono Partowidagdo died of a suspected heart attack while climbing 2,815-meter-high Mount Tambora in Indonesia. He was 60-years-old.

“Actually, my husband had no record of severe illness. Besides, mountain climbing had always been one of his hobbies,” said Nina Triaswati,  Partowidagdo’s wife, in a report from Antara.

Partowidagdo liked to climb mountains and ascended a total of 40 in Indonesia and abroad.

According to Reuters, Partowidagdo was leading a drive to slap a 25 percent tax on mining exports in 2012 and a 50 percent tax in 2013. Other controversial regulation was a requirement that select foreign companies must divest 51% of ownership over 10 years.

Indonesia has rich reserves of tin and thermal coal.

Partowidagdo’s undergraduate degree was in petroleum engineering. He received a PhD in oil economics from the University of Southern California.

Partowidagdo also sought several times to raise fuel subsidies, which were depleting the state budget, but the policy didn’t make it out of the legislature.

He is survived by his daughter, Amelia Crystals, aged 15 and his wife Ninasapti Triaswati, who is 48.

Image from LintasMe

 

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