TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN), Nusron Wahid, has affirmed that individuals or legal entities cannot own small islands in the country. His statement was in response to the alleged sale of Indonesian islands on the Private Islands Online website.
He cited the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister's Regulation No. 10 of 2024 concerning the Utilization of Small Islands and Surrounding Waters, which stipulates restrictions on island ownership. Specifically, Article 9, paragraph (1) of this regulation states that 30 percent of a small island's area is owned by the state, while the remaining 70 percent can be utilized by businesses.
Similar restrictions are also outlined in the ATR/BPN Minister's Regulation No. 17 of 2016 concerning Spatial Planning in Coastal and Small Island Areas, with the 70 percent utilization restriction detailed in Article 9, paragraph (2).
Nusron further explained that 45 percent of the area on a small island must be allocated for evacuation routes. Referring to these regulations, he clarified that foreign individuals or legal entities cannot obtain building rights certificates (HGB).
"Based on this provision, it is not possible for one person to buy an entire island, especially if it is a foreign individual or legal entity that cannot have building rights certificates," Nusron said when contacted on Sunday, June 22, 2025.
The minister also revealed that the land on Pulau Panjang, Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, is not yet registered in the Ministry of ATR/BPN's registration map. "So, Pulau Panjang cannot be sold," he reiterated.
He added that he has not been able to check the other three islands reportedly offered for sale because the advertisements on the website do not specify the exact island or land area.
Meanwhile, Doni Ismanto Darwin, Special Staff to the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries for Public Relations and Public Communication, emphasized that four Indonesian islands cannot be sold to any party due to Indonesia's sovereignty.
Tempo attempted to confirm the island advertisements by emailing the address listed on the Private Islands Online website. However, as of the time of this report, the managers of Private Islands Online have not responded.
According to its website, Private Islands Online is an international property website founded by Private Islands Inc., exclusively dedicated to island properties. This marketplace was established in 1999 to connect and categorize the previously fragmented and scattered island market.
Private Islands Online claims to have more than 4 million site visitors annually and 70,000 customers. Private Islands Inc. was founded by Chris Krolow, a businessman from Toronto, Canada.
According to the company's website, Chris Krolow is an entrepreneur in international relations and tourism who developed the island property buying and selling platform.
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