Widi Dilelang Island At The Foreign Site, Pemkab Halsel Desak Pemprov Revokes Management Permit

Widi Island in North Maluku (doc. North Maluku Provincial Government)

MALUT - The South Halmahera Regency Government (Halsel) urged the North Maluku Provincial Government (Malut) to revoke the management permit for Widi Island which was granted to PT Leadership Islands Indonesia (LII).

Halsel Regent, Usman Sidik said the request from the North Maluku Regency Government was due to Widi Island being included in the list of foreign auction sites Sotheby's Concierge Auctions based in New York, United States.

"In connection with the unilateral action of PT LII as the holder of the Widi Islands management permit which allegedly violated openly all contract terms and clauses contained in the MoU, the North Maluku Provincial Government must revoke the management permit and cancel the MoU between the provincial government and PT LII number 120.23/671/G, number 430/1047/2015, number LII/V/2015/001 dated 27 June 2015 regarding the development and development of the Widi Islands tourism area," he said, in Ternate, Maluku, Thursday 8 December.

According to him, the Halsel Regency Government has issued letter number 556/3341/2022 dated November 26, 2022.

The Regent said the basis for the request for revocation of the permit was based on letter number 556/3341/2022 dated November 26, 2022.

He explained that in the letter there were 5 points, including since the MoU was signed on June 27, 2015 until the date the application for revocation of the permit was submitted, PT LII had not carried out any activities at the agreed location.

"In addition, there is public unrest about the existence of PT LII because it does not have a double impact on the surrounding community and the management seems to limit the access of residents around the Widi Islands to search for fish in Widi," he said, quoted by Antara.

The Regent stated that there were accusations that some people thought the Halsel Regency Government had sold the Widi Islands to foreign parties, in this case PT LII, so that by disseminating information to other foreign investors in the hope of partnering with PT LII, the Halsel Regency Government assessed that PT LII was not the sole investor who would manage the Widi Islands but seemed to be a broker.

"On the basis of these points and non-compliance with the MoU, we expect the North Maluku Provincial Government to revoke the management permit and cancel the MoU with PT LII," said Usman.

According to Usman, PTT LLI only contains exclusive rights to develop the Widi Islands. In the MoU, he continued, there was not a single clause that allowed PT LLI to be able to auction off Pulau Widi to another party.

"So most coastal areas of the Widi Islands are also included in the water conservation zone, meaning they cannot be designated as concession areas to be developed as tourist attractions," he said.