Minister: Seas illegally partitioned and sold, Batam most affected

Indonesia's Minister of Agraria and Tata Ruang/Head of the National Land Agency, Nusron Wahid, has revealed that numerous reports indicate the illegal partitioning and sale of sea areas across various regions. Wahid specifically pointed to Batam as the city experiencing this issue most frequently, though he acknowledged its presence in other areas as well.

"A lot of the sea has been partitioned, even sold, and collaborated with third parties. Most in Batam, but also in other regions," Wahid stated in Jakarta on Monday. His ministry has received numerous complaints regarding these illegal sea reclamations, prompting calls for stricter regulation and enforcement.

Wahid elaborated on the irregularities observed in Batam, noting that the issuance of land management rights (HPL) for sea areas bypassed the required eight procedural steps. He emphasized that obtaining an HPL is a complex process, contingent upon fulfilling various regulatory requirements and involving phased utilization of reclaimed areas. These stages include location determination, spatial utilization suitability approval for marine areas, environmental approval, reclamation permit issuance, execution and supervision, verification of reclamation results, and finally, the HPL application.

The minister's remarks highlight a significant governance challenge, particularly concerning the management and allocation of coastal and marine resources. The alleged bypassing of established procedures raises concerns about transparency and adherence to legal frameworks in land and sea area management.

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A lot of the sea has been partitioned, even sold, and collaborated with third parties. Most in Batam, but also in other regions.