Land speculators start their work in Natuna

Land speculators start their work in Natuna

JAKARTA (JP): Land speculators have begun to swarm Natuna, the
northwestern-most island of Indonesia which the government plans
to develop into an economic center, the Riau governor reported.

Riau governor Soeripto said the land speculators were drawn by
the new mega projects being set up on the island believed to be
rich in natural gas.

"People from outside Natuna have been coming in and convincing
locals to sell their land," the governor said in Batam Monday
night.

Soeripto made the remark after meeting on Natuna with chief of
the Bukit Barisan Military Command Maj. Gen. Arie J. Kumaat. The
general is in charge of security in Riau as well as northern and
western Sumatra.

Soeripto said the government has warned Natuna islanders and
officials to be wary when dealing with the land speculators whose
only motive is to grab as much profit as possible.

The local government is assessing how to secure the
development of Natuna that borders the Spratley islands which are
wholly or partly claimed by China, the Philippines, Vietnam,
Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei.

Jakarta plans to resettle people from densely populated
islands on the largely barren island. The resettlement will be
for security and defense reasons rather than economic
considerations.

Natuna, which is believed to sit on top of the world's largest
natural gas reserve, is a subdistrict of the province of Riau.

"Its too early to discuss the possibility of changing its
administrative status," Soeripto was quoted by Antara as saying
yesterday.

But Maj. Gen. Kumaat said the Indonesian Armed Forces aims to
upgrade its military status one level to "military district".

"There is a army post, a navy post and an air force post on
the island," he said.

Soeripto, Kumaat and senior local officials plan to visit the
island where the government and the American oil company Exxon
operate a US$35 million joint venture, Antara said. (pan)