tourism

Menhut Denies Claims Regarding The Sale Of The Nature Reserve On Pulau Panjang In NTB

Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni has emphasized that the Nature Reserve (CA) of Pulau Panjang in Sumbawa Regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), is not for sale as widely reported. He assured that the management of the conservation area is proceeding as it should, and no transactions of sale are taking place. This statement was made during a working meeting with Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives in Jakarta on Tuesday (date not specified).

"In response to the issues surrounding Pulau Panjang, the Ministry of Forestry at the local level has continued to coordinate with multiple parties, including the military, police, and local government. We assure that there is no sale of the Pulau Panjang Nature Reserve occurring on the ground," asserted Raja Juli. He also added that management activities in the area are still being conducted regularly. Activities such as conservation area patrols are held periodically in collaboration with the community and relevant parties to maintain the sustainability of the region.

Pulau Panjang is being sold on a foreign website. The issue regarding the sale of Pulau Panjang originated from the emergence of information on an overseas online platform stating that the island is available for purchase. This news quickly elicited a response from the NTB Provincial Government, which declared that the information is false and illegal. The NTB Provincial Government emphasized that small islands in Indonesia cannot be owned by individuals or legal entities.

Furthermore, Pulau Panjang has been designated as a conservation area with the status of a nature reserve, thus its ownership cannot be transferred. The Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency (ATR/BPN), Nusron Wahid, also confirmed this matter. He assured that Pulau Panjang is classified as forest land and falls within a conservation area. According to him, there is not a single island in Indonesia that can be fully owned by an individual or a business entity.

"Only the Right to Build (HGB) is permitted, and that is exclusively for domestic enterprises. Foreign individuals and foreign legal entities are not allowed to possess HGB or Ownership Certificates (SHM)," stated Nusron. Consequently, the news regarding the sale of Pulau Panjang is deemed unfounded and inconsistent with the applicable laws in Indonesia. Both the central and local governments continue to monitor conservation areas to ensure the sustainability and legality of their management are maintained.

Tag: Menhut NTB Pulau Panjang Raja Juli Antoni