KKP Suspends Illegal Reclamation on Lingga Island, Riau Islands

Head of the Batam PSDKP Base Semuel Sandi Rundupadang while sealing the reclamation activities of PT Harap Panjang on Lingga Island, Riau Islands, Thursday (16/4/2026). ANTARA/Amandine Nadja

BATAM - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has temporarily stopped illegal reclamation activities in Kelumu Village, Lingga Island, Riau Islands (Kepri).

"Today, we have temporarily stopped the activities of PT Harap Panjang (PT HP) because it has used marine space without being equipped with PKKPRL (Approval of the Conformity of Marine Space Utilization Activities)," said Head of the Batam Fisheries Marine Resources Monitoring Base (PSDKP) Semuel Sandi Rundupadangusai sealing reclamation without permission, on Lingga Island, Thursday, April 16 reported by ANTARA.

PKKPRL is a basic licensing document that is mandatory for business actors who utilize the sea space permanently for more than 30 days and is issued by the KKP.

He said that the area of sea space used without permission was around 0.063 hectares, or approximately 600 square meters in Penarik Village, Kelumu Village, Lingga.

The space is used as a place to facilitate the transportation of material materials when entering the island.

"So, PT Harap Panjang is building a Tersus Port (special terminal). This is a place for barges to rest, carrying materials such as gravel or sand, it's here," he said.

For this unlicensed activity, the sealing was carried out based on Article 4 Paragraph (1) letters h and i of the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Regulation Number 30 of 2021 concerning the Supervision of the Sea Space as amended by the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Regulation Number 5 of 2025 concerning changes to the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Regulation Number 30 of 2021 concerning the Supervision of the Sea Space.

Semuel also said PT HP had not taken care of the PKKPRL documents before.

"Therefore, we convey to them, not as a punishment but also education so that in the future if they carry out activities in this place, they will take care of the documents to utilize the sea space," he said.

He said that if business actors have completed the permit, the seal will be reopened. However, there will be administrative sanctions in the form of fines for violations.

Semuel said his party received information about this reclamation activity through media reports.

"It was conveyed by residents that there was an allegation of the use of marine space without a permit. Two weeks ago we received information and we immediately checked using a 'drone' to see if there was any use of space that was outside the coastline," he said.

When the review process was verified, his party met with PT HP to explain the violation, then sealed it on Thursday.

He also said that hoarding activities have an impact on the ecosystem and coastal communities.

"Of course it has a very big impact, because there is a change in the structure of the ecosystem in this place. So in the future when they carry out activities, they must comply with regulations and zoning," he said.