Jakarta, June 16 -- President Prabowo Subianto will soon make a decision on the four coastal islands disputed by Aceh and North Sumatra Provinces, Presidential Communication Office (PCO) Head Hasan Nasbi said on Monday.

"The President has directly taken over on this issue. And (he) promised that it will be resolved as soon as possible," he said here.

Nasbi explained that in the Indonesian system, territorial sovereignty is under the full authority of the central government.

Regional governments only have administrative authority over areas within their jurisdiction, including the management of islands within their areas, he said.

"In the concept of our country, the one that has sovereignty over the area is the central government. The ...