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