Police Determine One Suspect In The Lantigiang Selayar Island Sale Case

Lantigiang Island Selayar South Sulawesi (photo via ANTARA)

MAKASSAR - The police have named one suspect in the sale of Lantigiang Island, Selayar Islands, South Sulawesi (Sulsel). The suspect identified with the initials Ks was the recipient of the Lantigiang Island down payment.

"Initial Ks," said the Public Relations Officer of the Selayar Islands Police, Ipda Hasan Zulkarnain, Sunday, February 7.

Ipda Hasan said the suspect Ks was the recipient of the down payment (DP) for the sale of Lantigiang Island.

"He receives money, and he is also active in facilitating all," he continued.

Previously, Asdianti Baso, a businessman from Selayar Islands Regency, South Sulawesi, denied buying Lantigiang Island. He admitted that he only bought 4 hectares of land at a price of Rp900 million.

According to Asdianti, the land was purchased with the aim of building a Water Bungalow with an investment of around Rp25 billion. This entrepreneur, who is also engaged in tourism, regrets that an island as beautiful as Lantigiang is not developed. Moreover, the island and its surroundings have 'diving spots'.

"So, I never bought Lantigiang Island, I bought land rights over the island. So it was not a title certificate because as far as I know the area did not issue a certificate, I asked for management rights to build resorts in the area," he said as quoted by Antara, Thursday , February 4.

He explained that before buying land on the island, his party had consulted with the Takabonerate National Park Office. Even the hall said that Lantigiang Island in Selayar Islands Regency was included in the utilization zone.

"In 2017, I went to the hall to consult, the party welcomed the suggestion that Belang-Belang Island and Lantigiang Island entered the utilization zone and it could be used, so I took care of it," he explained.

Meanwhile, the Regent of Selayar Islands Regency Basli Ali said that his party was not aware of any sale and purchase transactions on Lantigiang Island which were included in the National Park area.

"We do not know that there is also a purchase of Lantigiang Island which is still within the territory of the Selayar Islands Regency," said Basli Ali.

Basli regretted the attitude of the buyer Asdianti Baso who did not coordinate with the local government.