ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – Indonesia’s House of Representatives (DPR) has sharply condemned the presence of an unauthorized airport operating within the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP)—a major nickel-based industrial zone with significant Chinese investment—following reports that the facility operates without any involvement or oversight from official state authorities.
Member of Commission I, Oleh Soleh, expressed deep concern over the airport’s operation, which he described as a serious breach of national sovereignty.
He revealed that no government agency—including civil aviation authorities, Customs, or Immigration—has access to the airport or the ability to conduct routine oversight.
“No airport is allowed to operate without state involvement. If a strategic facility runs independently without government oversight, it is tantamount to creating a ‘state within a state.’ This cannot be tolerated,” Oleh Soleh said in a written statement in Jakarta on Wednesday, November 26, 2025.
Parliament’s alarm intensified after Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, during an inspection of TNI military exercises in Morowali, confirmed the absence of Customs and Immigration officers at the site.
Government Urged to Take Immediate Legal Action
Oleh Soleh urged the Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Finance, and security agencies to take decisive legal measures and reassert the state’s authority over the facility.
“This must be thoroughly investigated. The government must not hesitate to take firm action against anyone operating a strategic facility without proper authorization. Sovereignty is non-negotiable,” he stated.
He warned that an airport operating outside state control could open the door to severe national security threats, including smuggling, uncontrolled movement of foreign nationals, and other unmonitored activities.
Commission I of the DPR plans to request formal clarification from the relevant ministries and is considering a field visit to Morowali to verify compliance with national laws and aviation security protocols. (AT Network)
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