Firm! Coordinating Minister Mahfud MD Calls Foreigners Not Allowed To Have Land And Islands In Indonesia

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD at the Zero Kilometer Monument, Sabang (ANTARA)

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD emphasized that foreign nationals should not own land or islands in Indonesia. "All land on Indonesian soil can only be owned by Indonesian citizens (WNI). Based on the Basic Law (1945, ed), the earth, water and natural wealth are controlled by the state, and used for the greatest prosperity of the people, which is regulated regarding the right to use it," Mahfud said in a press release received in Jakarta, Antara, Thursday, December 22. This was conveyed by Mahfud when he visited the Zero Kilometer Monument, Sabang, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Province (NAD) today. His presence in Sabang to emphasize that the government is determined and demanded by the constitution to protect all parts of Indonesia. "This is also a reaffirmation that all regions of Indonesia, including the islands, must be utilized in order to be productive for economic development, especially, but there are limits that cannot be the smallest island until it is purchased and or resold by foreign parties, or foreign investors," Mahfud emphasized. He said a person may have business rights, then they may be used by foreign capital, but with certain boundaries. "For activities such as investment, there are already restrictions on their use. The point is fixed, the land is fully controlled by the state and must not be transferred from hand to hand," said Mahfud, who is also the Head of Steering for the National Border Management Agency (BNPP). Mahfud reiterated that together with the Minister of Home Affairs who is also the Head of BNPP Tito Karnavian, he would re-collect islands throughout Indonesia. "For this reason, it marks our presence today, in Sabang as the westernmost region, and after this we are with the Ministry of Home Affairs and later the technical operations by BNPP will collect data on all regions of Indonesia," said Mahfud. Indonesia has 17,504 islands, with 17,400 islands covering an area of more than 10 thousand square kilometers, and the remaining 111 islands are small islands outside that stick to large islands.