Indonesia's plan to auction 'Coral Triangle' islands faces criticism from senior officials
Indonesian archipelago | Sotheby | Representative
Indonesia's plan to auction the development rights to an archipelago of more than 100 tropical islands, scheduled to be held on Thursday, is reportedly facing criticism from the country's own fisheries officials.The auction of the uninhabited pristine Widi Reserve islands, described as "one of the most intact coral atoll ecosystems left on Earth", requires the prospective buyers to provide a $100,000 deposit.
Victor Gustaaf Manoppo, director general of marine spatial planning at the fisheries ministry, raised doubts about whether the appropriate approvals had been granted to operate in the marine-protected zone in the “Coral Triangle” area of eastern Indonesia.
ALSO READ |Over 100 pristine islands in east Indonesia’s ‘coral triangle’ up for auction
The sale of islands to non-Indonesians is banned under Indonesian law, so buyers must bid for shares in PT Leadership Islands Indonesia (PT LII), an Indonesian development firm. The firm has licensed the rights to build a climate change-sensitive resort and luxury residential properties on the reserve.
Manoppo said PT LII lacks full approval from the central government to manage the reserve. "Based on our information, PT LII does not currently have (marine activity approval) for the utilisation of the Widi islands’ waters,"he told a group of reporters last week.
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“According to our legal regulations, the Widi islands cannot be owned by foreigners and cannot be traded.”
Home affairs minister Tito Karnavian has defended the sale, telling critics that the firm PT LII was simply trying to raise capital investment. “The aim is not to auction (Widi Reserve),” CNN Indonesia quoted Karnavian as saying. “The aim is to attract foreign investors, so that’s fine.”
PT LII stated that the sale would go ahead as planned at Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions in New York on 8-14 December.
“What LII has is the exclusive licensed rights to conserve, sustainably develop, and manage the Widi Reserve with over 30 licences, permits, approvals and government recommendations in hand," Sotheby said in a statement.
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