Govt to turn island into tourist resort

Govt to turn island into tourist resort

SURABAYA: Malang regental administration is planning to build a tourist resort on Sempu Island in southern Malang, which offers beautiful scenery and unique animal species.

The government is looking for investors, said Purnadi, a senior government official.

However, the plan has drawn criticism from local non- governmental organizations (NGOs), who say the tourist resort would open the area to the public, leading to possible environmental damage of the 877-hectare island.

The island had earlier been named a conservation area as it is inhabited by endangered species, such as the forest pig (Sus sp) and gray monkey (Macaca fascicuslaris). -- JP