Local authorities in Buton regency, Southeast Sulawesi, are examining how the province’s Pendek Island ended up for sale online, following a report filed by the successors of previous islanders.
The sparsely populated island of 242 hectares coming from Boneatiro village in Kapontori district was provided on an e-commerce site at a rate of Rp 36,500(US$ 2.47) per square meter. The site has actually considering that taken down the deal.
Kapontori Authorities chief. Insp. La Ajima said authorities had actually gotten a report from the heirs of former islanders and would coordinate with the Buton Authorities in the further examination.
” This is a nationwide issue and should be handled by at least the precinct authorities. The majority of the witnesses to be questioned live beyond Buton regency. I will bring this report to the [Buton] Cops chief,” La Ajima stated on Thursday, as estimated by kompas.com
West Boneatiro village head Ilyas, who is himself one of the beneficiaries of the former islanders, stated they had actually consisted of in their report records of tax payments for 334 previous islanders paid in the duration of 1937 to 1940.
” The evidence of tax payments is the basis for our cops report,” he said.
He said the records consisted of all the names of taxpayers who had actually lived on the island throughout the Dutch colonial era. The beneficiaries also sent other proof, including historic records of the island during the Buton Sultanate.
The Buton Cops have performed a preliminary investigation into the case.
Buton Authorities chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Adi Benny Cahyono stated the supposed criminal, identified just as IS, was presently living in West Jakarta.
” The criminal made the most of the moment. Possibly he saw that the government paid less attention to [the island], so he ventured to promote it,” he stated.
Adi said the Buton Cops had actually formed two investigative groups that would also work together with the National Cops’s cybercrime unit to jail and investigate the suspect.
Local authorities have actually reportedly planned to turn Pendek Island, with its unique natural landscapes, including the white coastline, coral reefs and abundant fish, into a tourist attraction in Buton regency.
The island is presently just inhabited by someone called La Hasa, who stated it was a shock to discover the place he resided in was being sold.
La Hasa said that, under a federal government program, homeowners of Pendek Island had transferred to the mainland in 1971, but he had decided to remain there and grow crops.
Buton regent La Bakry said Pendek Island was categorized as an ” other designated location” ( APL) under the authority of the regional federal government, as stipulated in a forestry provision by the Southeast Sulawesi administration.
He said the federal government had moved the islanders to the mainland to alleviate public service delivery, but some citizens from the villages of Boneatiro and West Boneatiro still had some plantation work on the island. (syk)
