IPB objects plan of leasing out isles as oil storage
Thursday, September 4 2003 - 01:54 AM WIB
The Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) has objected to government plans to lease two islands to foreign countries to store their oil products, the Jakarta Post reported on Thursday.
Institute spokesman Agus Lelana said Wednesday that the islands were sanctuaries for monkeys used in AIDS disease experiments on the island since 1986.
On Monday, the Committee for the Efficient and Optimal Use of Small Islands announced that it had offered Tinjil and Delih islands off Banten to investors from Iran.
It has also offered a couple of islets in the Natuna Islands chain off the coast of Central Sulawesi to investors from Oman.
The islands have been offered to the investors to store oil products, the storage of which will be banned in Singapore from 2005. (*)