Friday, August 28, 2009

No Islands are for Sale


" Three Indonesian islands will be sold to foreigners " that's what the Indonesian media reported recently.

The report said that a Canadian based website www.privateislandonline.com has advertised the sale of islands located on the west of Sumatra island, i.e. Macaroni island, 15-acre, US$4 million; Siloinak island, 24-acre, $1.6 million; and Kandui island, 26-acres, US$8 million.

I was very shock to hear the news because the Indonesian Agrarian Law forbid the sale of land to Foreigners. So I checked the above website and found two things: First it clearly stated that foreigners are not possible to purchase island in Indonesia, they can only Rent, or alternatively they can buy partial shares of a company that manage the island. Secondly, there is only one island offered i.e. Siloinak Island; whilst the other two are not islands, i.e. Macaroni is name of a resort at the North Pangai Island, and Kandui is the name of resort at Karangmajat Besar Island.

Further, the Secretary of State Hatta Radjasa has denied the news, and so has an official of the Mentawai Regency which goverened the islands.

For details on the above, please click here, and here.

I am very glad that the media report regarding the sales of islands has not been true, therefore no laws have been violated.

Photo: Courtesy of Detik

5 comments:

Wild River Guitar said...

That is a Very interesting subject selling islands that are not allowed to be sold

Elizabeth said...

That is such I shame. I don't understand why your government would do this. This should never be happening. Those island belong to the Indonesian people!

Unknown said...

Busstopped ...
Very interesting indeed, but thank goodness there is sales done

Tricia ...
Yes it is shameful. Actually it's certain individual who is doing it, not the government.

Anonymous said...

If the person who claim that he is the owner of the island which is legal on the law, he had the right to do it. My goverment also selling some of the land to rich people, some more it is goverment land.

Unknown said...

Seername ...
Our law does not allow foreigners to own land they can only lease. If they got land maybe through inheritance from Indonesian father or mother, they should sell the land to Indonesian within one year.