Indonesian Government Revokes MoU with PT LII After the Company Attempted to Auction Off Widi Islands

JAKARTADAILY.ID – Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD said that the Indonesian government has revoked an MoU with PT Leadership Islands Indonesia (LII).

The revocation came after LII attempted to auction off the Widi Islands in North Maluku at Sotheby's.

 "The government has decided to cancel the MoU because its contents and procedures are not in accordance with the applicable regulations. In addition, the contents of the MoU have never been adhered to by PT LII," said Mahfud MD on the Ministry's official Youtube channel on Thursday, December 15, 2022.

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This government decision was taken after the Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Mahfud MD held a Coordination Meeting with Minister of Home Affairs M. Tito Karnavian, Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Wahyu Sakti Trenggono and Chief of Naval Staff Yudo Margono, as well as the Governor of North Maluku Abdul Ghani Kasuba, also the Regent of South Halmahera Usman Sidik and the management of PT LII.

According to Mahfud, in the last few days, there have been reports that the government has sold the Widi Islands to foreigners.

“We (can confirm) that what has really happened is that an MoU has been made by the provincial governments of North Maluku and South Halmahera Regency, the contents of which are the utilization of the Widi Islands. There are as many as 140 islands on lease for the purposes of developing eco-tourism," said Mahfud MD.

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The cancellation of the MoU will be carried out by regional governments in accordance with their respective authorities based on applicable regulations.

"The MoU should have been made with the permission of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), and currently the KKP has never issued any permits," said Mahfud.

Apart from that, in the middle of the object that was entered into in an MoU between PT LII and the Provincial Governments of North Maluku and South Halmahera Regency, there is a protected forest covering an area of ​​approximately 1,900 hectares that cannot be encroached on.

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