KKP Urges Investors Not To Control The Entire Island, At Most Only 70 Percent

Director of Coastal Empowerment and Small Islands of the KKP Muhammad Yusuf. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) appealed to investors not to control one island in its entirety.

Under existing regulations, investors are only allowed to control at most 70 percent of the island's area.

Director of Coastal Empowerment and Small Islands of the KKP Muhammad Yusuf said this was in accordance with Article 11 of Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 34 of 2019, Article 10 of the Regulation of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (Permen KP) Number 8 of 2019, as well as Regulation of the Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of BPN Number 17 of 2016.

"In the use of small islands at least 30 percent of the island area is controlled directly by the state, at most 70 percent of the island area can be utilized by business actors, and business actors are required to allocate at least 30 percent of the land area used for green open spaces," Yusuf said in a written statement, quoted Monday, October 9.

Yusuf said that the management of small islands must obtain a permit. For islands with an area of less than 100 square kilometers, business actors must obtain a recommendation from the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries.

"If you want to use the sea, you must fulfill the Approval for Adjustment of Marine Space Utilization Activities (PKKPRL)," he said.

As for 2022, Indonesia has pledged 17,024 islands to the United Nations. Of these, more than 98 percent are very small islands with an area below 100 square kilometers that are very vulnerable to damage and have a high risk of utilization.

"We appeal to all parties who will, are moderate, or have carried out activities to utilize the small islands and the surrounding waters, both PMA, PMDN, local governments, community groups or individuals, to follow the provisions according to the laws and regulations, including completing the required legality of business and licensing documents," said Yusuf.

Meanwhile, the Director General of Marine Space Management of the KKP Victor Gustaaf Manoppo said the KKP would continue to improve public services, including business licensing services in the marine space management sub-sector.

According to him, although the laws and regulations regarding the use of small islands are quite comprehensive, in practice in the field there are still many problems, both by business actors and the community.

"Therefore, this is the right opportunity to provide awareness about the policy of utilizing small islands," he explained.