PADANG  - The issue related to the sale of three islands in Mentawai District, West Sumatra, does not disturb the sovereignty of the Unitary State of the Indonesian Republic (NKRI). The statement was made by director general of Indonesian Maritime and Fishery Resources Management and Control (P2SKP), Aji Sularso, in a press conference at the West Sumatra governor’s office after a coordination meeting with West Sumatra provincial administration and Mentawai district administration officials on Thursday.
   
Sularso explained if there was a legal violation in the case, an investigation should be made. "But in this segment, there is no strong indication of legal violation, because in reality there is no island that has been sold," Sularso said.
   
Commenting on an information in the internet that three islands in Mentawai had been sold, he said it could be either true or false. It was reported earlier that three islands in Mentawai district, namely Macaroni, Siloinak, and Kandui, had been sold to a foreign party.
   
The islands were offered for lease through website http://www.privateislandsonline.com. of Private Islands Inc. at 550 Queen St East Suite 330 Toronto on M5A 1 V2, in Canada at the price of US$4 million for Macaroni island, US$ 1.6 million for Siloinak island, and US$8 million for Kandui island.
   
"The website and its address are clear so it will be easy for us to trace it and if the information is true, we can investigate it through diplomatic channels with our representative in Canada. Therefore, we want to send a letter to our foreign affairs minister to follow it up," he said.
   
But he said in the coordination meeting it was concluded that it was impossible for the three islands in Mentawai to be sold to a foreign party.