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)