T

he Forestry Ministry revoked PT Perhutani Alam Wisata's (Palawi) license to manage the Tangkuban Parahu national park in West Java only to soon hand it over the reigns to a company believed to have close link to Forestry Minister Malam Sambat Kaban, a top West Java tourism official said.

Palawi's license was revoked on May 22, 2007; a principal license to manage the 250 hectares of protected forest, which surrounds an active volcanic, was then issued to PT Graha Rani Putra Persada (GRPP) on Aug. 7, 2007. The company now plans to develop the site. PT GRPP is owned by Kaban's brother, Putra Kaban, a lawyer.

Herdiwan Iing Suranta, head of the West Java Tourism Agency, said that the West Java Natural Resources Conservation Center - an agency of the forestry ministry - currently manages the tourist park, located 30 kilometers north of Bandung, at a height of more that 1,800 meters above sea level.

Palawi had managed the volcanic spot, with 12 craters, since 1990.

"Currently all the income from entrance fees is, on average, Rp 6 billion (US$513,900) annually and this goes directly to the state's coffers," Herdiwan said.

"Neither the West Java provincial administration nor the Bandung or Subang regency administrations have shared any of the profits in the past.

"We've been told that the regional administrations' share will come in the form of aid allocated in the state budget."

Herdiwan emphasized that, although the volcano attracts tens of thousands of tourists every year, the provincial tourism agency did not interfere in its management.

"We are simply promoting the volcano as one of West Java's tourism attractions. We are not really concerned who will manage the site," he said.

"Any company can manage Tangkuban Parahu as long as it follows proper procedures by securing recommendations from provincial and regency administrations."

The West Java administration has refused to give its recom-mendation of PT GRPP as it has not secured recommendations from the regional administrations, even though it has been given a principle license from the forestry ministry.

Official regulations require any company wishing to manage a tourism spot to first get a recommendation from the regional administrations, before applying for a license from the ministry - and not the other way around like PT GRPP has done.