Indonesian islands cannot be sold to foreigners but they can be managed jointly with foreigners in accordance with the country's certain regulations, a senior Home Affairs Ministry official was quoted Tuesday as saying.

    "No island in Indonesia can be sold to foreigners. However, it is possible to manage an island in collaboration with foreigners in line with the existing regulations," director general for public administration Sodjuangan Situmorang told the national Antara news agency.

    About Meriam Besar and Panjang Isles in West Nusatenggara (NTB) which were recently reported to have been sold to foreigners, Situmorang said that the isles were sold to an Indonesian national who had already obtained an ownership certificate on the isle.

    However, according to reports from the head of the district in which the isles were located, the buyer's certificate proved to be legally defective, he said.

    Panjang and Meriam Isles were recently put up for sale in an advertisement appearing in the website www.karangasemproperty.com.

    "On Dec. 11, 2007, a letter was sent to the National Land Agency to request the cancellation of the certificate," he said.

    The home affairs ministry was currently also in the process of settling the problematic sale of five other islands, namely Bawah,Cangkul, Merba, Elang and Lidi, all located in Riau Islands province, he said.