East Kalimantan province is making every effort to host the international marine event of Sail Derawan 2013.
The tourism office in the province is currently completing a proposal to be presented to the Culture and Tourism Ministry to compete with East Nusa Tenggara province which is also trying to host Sail Komodo 2013
"We are at present in the process of completing a proposal to the Culture and Tourism Ministry in our bid to host Sail Derawan 2013," East Kalimantan culture and tourism department chief Achmad Adha said as quoted by wisatakaltim.com recently.
Adha said the local government wanted to host Sail Derawan 2013 to promote Derawan Islands, located in the Sulawesi Sea on the coastal shelf of East Kalimantan.
The Derawan Islands feature 872 species of reef fishes, 507 species of coral and invertebrates, including protected species giant clam, sea turtles, coconut crab.
Some of the islands harbor the heavily exploited turtle eggs and yet the largest green turtle nesting site in Indonesia.
But the constraint, according Adha, was the conclusion of oceanographers that Derawan Islands were prone to strong wind and strong current that would make it difficult for yachts, participating in Sail Derawan 2013, to anchor.
Therefore he expressed hope that if it was impossible for East Kalimantan to host Sail Derawan, Sail Komodo event could be a part of the Sail Derawan.
Meanwhile East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) provincial government has already proposed to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to host Sail Komodo 2012.
NTT provincial government spokesman Frans Salem said in Kupang on Tuesday that the proposal to host Sail Komodo 2013 was because komodo dragons in the province have been widely well known around the world after having been established as one of the New Seven Wonder finalists.
"The East Nusa Tenggara provincial administration wants to host Sail Komodo 2013, and to get approval from the central government we have proposed it to President Yudhoyono," Frans Salem said.
He said Komodo dragons, the world`s heaviest living lizards in Komodo National Park at the west point of Flores island, should continue to be promoted to attract as many domestic and foreign tourists as possible to visit East Nusa Tenggara.
The Komodo National Park includes three major islands namely Komodo, Rinca, Padar, and a number of smaller islands with a total area of up to 2,321 square kilometers.
Besides being home to the Komodo dragon, the Park provides refuge for many other notable terrestrial species such as orange-footed scrub fowls, endemic rats, and the Timor deers.
Moreover, the Park includes one of the richest marine environments including coral reefs, mangroves, sea-grass beds, sea mounts, and semi-enclosed bays.
These habitats harbor more than 1,000 species of fish, some 260 species of reef-building coral, and 70 species of sponges.
According to him, one way to promote the giant lizards was through the international marine event of Sail Komodo as part of Sail Indonesia 2013.
"Just because such an event involves a lot of countries, it should have an approval from the central government," Frans said.
Therefore he expressed hope that the proposal to host Sail Komodo could gain a positive response from the central government to issue a recommendation to East Nusa Tenggara provincial government to organize the event.
"The position of Komodo Island with its beautiful sea, beaches, forests, and hills remains secure to be one of the New Seven Wonders of the world, and thus we want to continue promoting it through Sail Komodo," Frans said.
East Nusa Tenggara Governor Frans Lebu Raya said in Kupang in February this year that President Yudhoyono fully supported the provincial government effort to host Sail Komodo 2013.
"In relation to Sail Komodo, I have reported it to President Yudhoyono and the head of state said he would fully support such an event," Governor Lebu Raya said.
According to the governor, President Yudhoyono has asked NTT provincial government to plan properly the international marine event and the central government and the people would support it.
"The president has asked us to plan Sail Komodo 2013 properly
with vigorous campaigns and promotions as it did to Sail Banda 2010," Frans Lebu Raya said, adding that the proposal for Sail Komodo had been submitted to Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry.
This year Southeast Sulawesi Province and Bangka-Belitung Province will co-host Sail Wakaboi-Belitung as part of Sail Indonesia 2011.
But what comes next after Sail Wakatobi-Belitung 2011 and before either Sail Derawan or Sail Komodo 2013?, whether it be Sail Lombok-Sumbawa or Sail Morotai 2012?.
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad at Senggigi resort on Lombok island in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province in May 2010 said he had made Sail Lombok-Sumbawa 2012 part of his program to support development of the tourism sector in the province.
"It will be West Nusa Tenggara`s turn to host an international marine event, namely Sail Lombok-Sumbawa, in 2012," Fadel Muhamad said after witnessing the harvest of Lombok pearl cultivation product with Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik at the time.
Meanwhile, West Nusa Tenggara Governor Zainul Madji said he would continue to make things ready for the implementation of Sail Lombok-Sumbawa 2012.
But at the same time North Maluku province also wanted to host Sail Morotai 2012.
Seeing the great success of Sail Bunaken 2009 and Sail Banda 2010, President Yudhoyono wanted North Maluku to host similar event called Sail Morotai.
Addressing a ceremony marking the relocation of North Maluku`s provincial capital from Ternate to Sofifi in August 2010, the president expressed hope that North Maluku province host Sail Morotai.
"We have just organized Sail Banda, and in reality it attracted so many participants from many countries and moved the economy in Maluku. Therefore, I hope we can organize Sail Morotai in North Maluku," President Yudhoyono said at the time.
Morotai in North Maluku Province is famous not only for its natural and marine beauty but also for its historical tourism.
It is also renowned for the beauty of its various coral reefs and decorative fish and tempting diving sites which the North Maluku provincial government has now started to spruce up in preparation of "Sail Morotai 2012." ***6***
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Reporter: By Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Suryanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
