There are more than 4,000 unnamed islands in Indonesia that have to be managed and the country's government plans on what to do with them. Officials are inviting foreign investors to manage the islands that will be designated as potential tourism areas.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said, "They can give it any name they want, as long as they report to us." However, he noted that while anyone can manage the island, the organization must adhere to Indonesian laws.
Though the government plans to open it to foreign investors, Luhut said that the islands are not for sale and it still belongs to Indonesia. He is optimistic that people would want to venture and name one of the 4,000 islands.
Meanwhile, Japan has already invested in Indonesia. They have been permitted to manage an island named Morotai with the hopes to have it serve as a vacation site for the elderly.
Agrarian and Spatial Planning Minister Sofyan Djalil said as long as there is proper planning and regulation, everything will be smooth. "If the island is for tourists-it's fine, as long as there are plans and regulations."
Sofyan also added that only an Indonesian national can own the land. Foreigners can have a land-use permit but can never be a landowner. But they have the benefits of naming it after themselves.
Agriculture is also another possible investment in the islands as that sector is also viable to improve the state of the nation. Sofyan said, "as long as the management is proper and the activities don't interfere with the state's security."
According to the country's National Institute of Aeronautics and Space, Indonesia has more than 18,000 islands scattered in the Pacific. However, the Indonesian government has only registered and named a little over 8,800 islands in which 900 of them are inhabited by their citizens.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
