TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Susi rejects accusation of selling islands to foreigners
Change Size
A view of an island in Indonesia as seen from the water. The government has rejected an accusation that it sold a number of islands to foreigners. (indonesia-tourism.com via kompas.com/-)
M
aritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti has rejected the accusation that the government sold a number of islands to foreigners.
The accusation came up after Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut said recently that the government would allow foreigners to put names on Indonesia’s islands for the sake of tourism.
Susi said that instead of selling those islands, the government planned to register 1,106 unnamed islands with the United Nations. More than 2,800 islands were still not ready for registration.
“We also aim to make certificates for 111 frontier or outermost islands,” Susi said on Wednesday as quoted by Antara news agency.
(Read also: Susi accused of selling 15 islands to foreigners)
She further said those islands would be open for both domestic and foreign investment in various sectors, including tourism, agriculture and fisheries.
According to the plan, while the majority 70 percent areas of each island can be managed by investors, the remaining 30 percent should be still handled by the state.
Indonesia is the world’s biggest archipelago with more than 17,000 islands. (lnd)
