RI Withdraws Komodo National Park From N7WN Competition

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Indonesia has withdrawn the Komodo National Park from participation in the final evaluation  round in  the competition for the New Seven Wonders of Nature (N7WN) title.

Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik, when announcing the decision here on Monday, accused the competition's organizer, the New 7 Wonders (N7W) Foundation, of having been unprofessional,  inconsistent and not transparent.

"The decision was taken because the organizer, the New 7 Wonders (N7W) Foundation, has been unprofessional, inconsistent, not transparent and lacking accountable credibility," he said.

He said  although the Komodo National Park (TNK) had resigned from campaigning to be selected as one of the world's seven wonders by the N7W the TNK would remain the world's heritage recognized by UNESCO in 1991.

In August 2008, the ministry of tourism and culture became the official supporting committee (OSC)/Lead Agency to suppor the TNK to be selected as one of the new world's seven wonders which is done through on-line voting.

The ministry has already carried out a series of on-line campaigning at home and abroad to promote and support the TNK in the competition and the effort has been fruitful with the TNK's election as one of the 28 finalists of the N7WN title putting aside 440 nominees from 220 countries.

In a further progress polemic emerged after the N7W Foundation expressed agreement early in December 2010 for Indonesia in this case Jakarta to become the official host for the Declaration of the new World 7 Wonders.

The committee however later required the Indonesian government to pay a license fee for being the host of the event totalling US$10 million and prepare another US$35 million to pay for the cost of the organization of the event.

The ministry meanwhile has so far only expressed its desire to be the host and has never signed any deal nor submitted an official bidding proposal as required by the N7W Foundation according to the New7Wonders Official Host Worldwide Bidding Tender.

The ministry had rejected the request because it was not realistic but in a reaction to the rejection the N7W at the end of December 2010 threatened to eliminate TNK as the N7W finalist.

Wacik meanwhile said that the TNK's position as a finalist was different from the N7W Foundation's offer and must not be linked.

On February 2011 the N7W Foundation decided to maintain the TNK's position as a finalist but had eliminated the ministry of tourism and culture's position as OSC.

The decision was unilateral and unfair because it was not based on a clear reason while the N7W Foundation has not revoked the Standard Participating Agreement whcih is the only official document that has been signed jointly at the early stage of campaigning stating that the ministry of tourism and culture is the TNK's OSC for the N7W campaign.

The ministry of tourism and culture has appointed lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis to deal with the problem.

Todung said the ministry has never breached the Standard Participating Agreement that had been signed.

"We have sent a legal complaint which has been replied by their legal consultant in London. We have replied it again and until today there has been no response from them," he said.

He said the N7W Foundation's action of eliminating the ministry as the OSC was against universal legal principles.

"There has been no unilateral revocation of an agreement because no violation has been made here," he said.

The ministry of culture and tourism has found some facts regarding the N7W Foundation which is very commercial-oriented although it has also stated itself as a non-profit foundation.

As an international organization, the ministry found it strange that the foundation has no office and is only managed by a few people but wishes to conduct US millions worth of transactions.

"The world community would remain recognizing the Komodo as 'the one and only real dragon in the world' and the fact is replaceable. In view of that we remain committed to developing and promoting TNK as a conservation area and international tourist destination in Indonesia. Through the "Komodo the Real Wonder of the World" brand would promote TNK across the world," Jero Wacik said.

He said he had decided to stop the joint campaign with the N7W Foundation.

The director general of marketing of the ministry of tourism and culture, Sapta Nirwandar, said TNK as a N7W finalist has been promoted for the past three years abroad.

"TNK has been known by the world community and visits to the destination has increased sharply," he said.

In 2007 at the beginning of the campaign program the number of visitors to the destination was recorded at 16,000 and it rose to 21,000 in 2008m 36,000 in 2009 and 45,000 in 2010.(*)