Head of the North Maluku Investment Office (DPMPTSP) Bambang Hermawan confirmed here on Thursday that the North Maluku provincial government sent the letter requesting revocation of the Widi Isle management permit.
Widi Isle went viral and caused an uproar following a recent report that the small island was up for auction in the Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions. LII, in a recent written statement, denied being involved in the auction.
The permit should be revoked, as the development has breached an MoU with the North Maluku administration and the South Halmahera District Administration, and the South Halmahera District Head has also sent a letter on the permit revocation.
"It means that if one of the parties has withdrawn, then the MoU is invalidated, and the MoU is no longer valid if one of the parties revokes it. Thus, the terms of cooperation no longer exist," he said.
The local authorities had granted permits thrice to use forest areas for tourism, respectively in 2015, 2017, and 2018. PT LII had also given a seven-month period to implement it, but there had been no activity so far.
Hence, the North Maluku administration has requested BKPM to revoke the permit on the Widi Isle management granted to PT LII, which is a foreign investor, he stated.
BKPM has the authority to issue or revoke the permit of foreign investors.
The North Maluku investment office's authorities merely provide support, issue recommendation and permits concerning spatial suitability, and tourism utilization permit for its forest area.
The central government cannot extend the permit following the provincial government's decision to revoke the permit for the use of protected forests as tourist areas, he noted.
He also said that the North Maluku provincial government had not received any notification from PT LII regarding the plan to auction Widi Isle overseas.
"There is no notification, there is no letter, and whatever the reason is, this is an irregularity," he clarified.
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Translator: Abdul Fata, Fardah
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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