Minister orders halt to resort construction

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Minister of Forestry M.S. Kaban urged PT Merek Indah Lestari (MIL) on Sunday to stop building its hotel and golf course in the Merek district in Karo regency, because the construction was located in a protected forest.

Furthermore, said the minister, the project was of no benefit to local people.

He threatened to report the company to National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar and Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh, should it press ahead with construction of the project.

Currently, the foreign investor is building a road to the project site after having obtained a permit to build a hotel and golf course from the Karo regency administration a year ago.

However, Kaban said that if the permit contravened the law, then it would be automatically invalid. -- JP