IMIP Airport Operates Without State Authority, Chairman of Exponen 08 Urges Government to Immediately Investigate Completely

FAJAR.CO.ID, JAKARTA — The existence of the Indonesian Special Airport Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) in Morowali, Central Sulawesi, continues to attract the attention of the wider community. This was after a statement by the Minister of Defense, Sjafrie Syamsoeddin, who said that airport operations did not involve state authorities.

Responding to the polemic, the Chairman of Exponen 08, M. Damar, spoke up. He expressed full support for Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin’s firm stance regarding the polemic at the Indonesian Special Airport Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) which was in the public spotlight.

The controversy arose after allegations that the air facilities operating in the industrial area were operating without full supervision from state authorities.

Damar believes that this problem has also raised concerns about the sovereignty of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). Therefore, he asked the government to immediately act to thoroughly investigate the existence of the airport operating in the PT IMIP industrial complex, Morowali, Central Sulawesi.

According to him, the presence of an airport without involving official government authority is dangerous and could threaten the country’s sovereignty. “Thoroughly investigate the permit for the existence of Morowali airport. This is clearly very detrimental and threatens the country’s sovereignty. Who is playing behind all this and for whose interests? The government must immediately reveal this,” said Damar in a written statement, Wednesday (26/11/2025).

Damar said the existence of airports that are not supervised by government authorities could be said to be a “country within a country” that should not be ignored. According to him, the problems in Morowali can be categorized as a form of modern colonialism which is detrimental to the country, especially in the mining sector.