Foreigners cannot own land in Indonesia. However, to boost tourism, the local authorities are inviting them to lease available islands across the sprawling archipelago.
On Sunday, Mr Ismeth Abdullah, governor of Riau Islands province, said he welcomes overseas investors who wish to manage islands in his province.
Bordering Singapore and Malaysia, the province is made up of 1,795 islands, of which only 394 are inhabited.
Mr Ismeth told The Jakarta Post that the presence of foreign investments has raised revenues for the province. He cited the popular Nikoi Island resort, located 21/2 hours away from Singapore by ferry and speedboat.
The province’s Investment Coordinating Agency usually takes about a month to issue leasing permits to investors, in line with government regulations, he added. Continue reading
