Minister orders halt to resort construction

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