REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BELITUNG - Indonesia has at least 10 percent of 5 million shipwrecks in the world lying in the ocean, the data in UNESCO says. The 500,000 shipwrecks in Indonesia have a potential treasure worth 1.1 billion USD. 

"We estimate 700 to 800 potential points of treasure. We have identified 463 points," said Secretary of Indonesian Marine Board, Dedy H Sutisna, on Wednesday.

This treasure of the sea can attract many people and many of them excavate the wrecks illegally. Belitung, for instance, has two valuable shipwrecks from Tang and Tek Sing Dinasties. However, greedy people looted the archeological treasure for their own.

A Japanese researcher, Akifumi Iwabuchi, regrets it and he said that Indonesia could develop underwater museum with further research.

Meanwhile, Education and Culture Ministry`s Director of Museum And Cultural Heritage Preservation, Surya Helmy, government preserved underwater cultural heritage under Laws No. 11/2010 on Cultural Heritage. Government sanctions those who excavate and damage Indonesian Cultural Heritage illegally.

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